appointed of God for leading to it he hath chosen you to salvation saith he through sanctification and belief 9. Whomsoever God hath elected to salvation he hath also in that same decree elected them to faith and sanctification and therefore the foresight of those was not a motive inducing God to elect one more than another they were good things decreed to be given unto us and consequently were not foreseen to be in us before he decreed them for us for he hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification and belief 10. As faith and sanctification go alwayes together the former being the fountain of the latter and the latter again an evidence of the former Gal. 5 6. So the motions of Gods sanctifying spirit are alwayes conform to Gods revâ—aled truth and directed by truth as it is apprehended by faith and all other motions which are not such are not of God whatever they pretend to Isa. 8. 20. for he joynes sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth together Ver. 14. Whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. For their further comfort and confirmation from the former ground he doth here give an evidence that God had chosen them to salvation even this that God had effectually called them or having renewed their wills Ezek. 26. 27. had by his omnipotent power Phil. 6. 44 45. made them willingly apply themselves Psal. 110. 3. to the attaining of those things whereunto they were called to wit salvation sanctification and faith mentioned v. 13. to which the first word of this verse doth relate Which effectual calling is set forth 1. From the external mean by which it had been brought about to wit the Preaching of the Gospel called Pauls Gospel because he was entrusted with the dispensing of it to them 1 Thes. 2. 4. next from the utmost end of their calling to wit their obtaining that glory in Heaven which the Lord Christ hath purchased and the same in some respect for kind though not for measure with that which he himself enjoyeth Phil. 3. 21 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. Doct. 1. A man can draw no comfort or confirmation from Gods decree of electing him to salvation through sanctification and faith except he actually apply himself to walk in the way which leadeth to salvation for he makes the strength of the former consolation and confirmation lye in this that they were effectually called to sanctification and consequently had betaken themselves to walk in that way whereunto he called you 2. It is not in the power of fallen man to do so much of himself though Heaven be offered and the way chalked out which leadeth to it as to betake himself to walk in it except the Lord encline him powerfully so to do and by his omnipotent arm draw him that so he may run after him Cant. 1. 4 for he saith it was the Lord who called them thereunto 3. However this effectual excitation of sinners and engaging them to enter the way of salvation be the work of God alone yet he maketh use of the Gospel Preached by his sent Ministers as an outward mean at or after the Preaching whereof he ordinarily doth work powerfully in the hearts of the elect for he saith whereunto he called you by our Gospel 4. As the state of salvation to which the elect are chosen is altogether glorious comprising what eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor ever entred into the heart of man to think upon 1 Cor. 2. 9. So the glory to be enjoyed in that state is the result not of our endeavours or merit but of Christs purchase and a piece of that glory which Christ in his humane nature enjoyeth who hath gone to Heaven for this very end that where he is there we may be Joh. 14. 3. for therefore is it called the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ to the obtaining whereof we are called 5. Though Heaven and glory be purchased by Christ and designed for the elect in Gods eternal and unchangeable decree see v. 13. yet none attaineth to the actual possession of it but such as are effectually called and drawn out of nature to the state of grace and all such shall at last attain it grace here being a most infallible forerunner of glory hereafter for he saith he hath called you to the obtaining of glory Ver. 15. Therefore brethren stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle He confirms them Secondly by exhorting them that therefore to wit because there was an apostasie to be v. 3. and Gods electing love was made known unto them v. 13 14. that therefore I say they would stand fast and constant in the truth without yielding grounâ— as stout souldiers from whom the word is borrowed which he further explaineth by exhorting them to hold as it were by both hands and against all opposition the traditions or things delivered by him as the word signifieth to wit the exhortations and doctrines both concerning faith and manners which they had received from him and were taught by him whether by word when he was present with them and preached to them or by this and the former Epistle written by him when he was absent from them Doct. 1. The doctrine of election and assurance of salvation grounded upon election doth not make exhortations to duty reproofs and threatnings in case of neglect of duty of no effect and useless In so far as those are means appointed by God for making the elect persevere in the way which leadeth unto that salvation to which they are appointed for notwithstanding of what he wrote of election and the infallible evidence of their election v. 13 14. he doth here exhort them to stand fast and hold the traditions 2. As the dreadfulness of approaching hazard should not makes us lose heart and sit down discouraged So the faith of through-bearing flowing from assurance of our election is so far from being in its own nature a pillow for carnal security that upon the contrary it doth forcibly encourage and excite to duty in the face of danger as knowing our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord for from what he spoke of the future apostasie and the evidence they had of Gods electing love he exhorts them therefore brethren stand fast and holâ— 3. Even the elect themselves have been and will be strongly assaulted by Antichrist and in no small hazard to be drawn away with his Antichristian errours except they stand fast as men of courage and employ the uttermost of their wit and strength to defend the truth of the Gospel against those dreadful terrours and subtle snares which Antichrist and his emissaries do make use of to drive them and draw them from it for so much is implyed while speaking to the elect with relation to the assaults of Antichrist he exhorts them to stand as stout souldiers and to hold the truth as it
to shrink from his duty for Paul did forecast it might cost him his life and resolveth to quit it we were willing to have imparted to you not the Gospel of God only but also our own souls 5. He should be so disposed as to be in a readiness to seal the truth preached by him with his blood and thereby to confirm and strengthen the Lords people in the faith of it Phil. 2. 17. if God shall call him to it for so was Paul to have imparted unto you our own souls 6. He should labour to have the Lords people so much indeared to him and beloved by him that whatever he do unto them or suffer for them may flow from affection and love to them for so was it with Paul We were willing to have imparted to you because ye were dear unto us Ver. 9. For ye remember brethren our labour and travel for labouring night and day because we would not be chargeable unto any of you we preached unto you the Gospel of God Here is a fourth ground of the similitude to wit that as the mother who is poor and destitute of her husbands help doth labour night and day that she may have wherewith to sustain her self and thereby enable her for sustaining of her children So doth the Apostle speak of his own diligence here and thereby confirmeth what he spoke of his affection to them v. 8. as appears by the causal particle for while he saith they did remember or at least might remember first more generally his labour and travel The first word in the original expresseth labour unto weariness and the second labour after weariness so that when his body was wearied he did not give over but made to work again And next more particularly 1. His uncessant diligence in his labour he laboured night and day to wit so much of that time as might be spared from his necessary refreshments by meat and sleep 2. The matter of his labour partly expressed in Preaching the Gospel partly implyed in his handly-labour by making tents to maintain himself Act. 18. 3. 3. The end why he did so labour that he might not be chargeable nor burthensome neither to the whole community nor yet to the private estates of any particular person among them and this as it seems because for some reasons not mentioned the success of the Gospel would have been otherwise retarded among them as it would have been at Corinth if Paul had exacted stipend from them 1 Cor. 9. 12. though it was not so in other Churches where Paul exacted his right 2 Cor. 11. 8. Phil. 4. 14. Doct. 1. Where there is entire and ardent love in the heart either to God or man it maketh any piece of service done unto them or for them though otherwise never so burthensome to be but light and easie for because they were dear to him v. 8. therefore doth he willingly undergo no small labour and travel for them for ye remember brethren our labour and travel 2. It is the duty of people to call to mind and not to forget the great pains and labour that Ministers have been at for bringing about their spiritual good that so they may not only be thankful to God who hath stirred up any to lay their otherwise perishing condition so near to theâ—r heart and acknowledge their obligation to instruments who have willingly spent themselves for their sake but also may thereby learn to value the worth of any spiritual good which they have received labour to maintain and improve it seeing their enjoying of it hath been the fruit of so much diligence and pains for Paul implyeth it was their duty to remember while he saith ye remember brethren our labour and travel 3. It is the Lords allowance and command that men of most eminent parts and greatest esteem should dimit themselves to the meanest and most toilesome of imployments for purchasing a mean of livelyhood and subsistence rather than that they should close with any sinful course or use unlawful means for that end for here Paul a great Apostle being straitned for a livelihood doth labour night and day in that mean employment of making â—ents Act. 18. 3. 4. Though Ministers are not to be entangled with the affairs of this life 2 Tim. 2. 4. and ought to give themselves wholly to the duties of their calling so as they be not turned aside from them by unnecessary diversions 1 Tim. 4. 15. yet in case of necessity and want of maintenance otherwise occasioned either by the extream poverty or profane unthankfulness of the people he may use some handie labour to maintain himself and his family 1 Tim. 5. 8. and yet not cease from preaching the Gospel for Paul a Minister of the Gospel in this case of necessity did labour night and day and preached unto them the Gospel of God 5. There is no ground here from Pauls practice to establish Popish works of supererogation or good works which as they say are not commanded but done over and above duty for Pauls abstaining from taking maintenance was no such work It was his duty in the present case however he had sufficient right to it otherwise v. 8. seeing by taking of maintenance he would have retarded the Gospel and therewith the glory of God and spiritual good of his neighbour 1 Cor. 9. 12. for promoving whereof he was bound by both tables of the Law Matth. 22. 37 39. to do whatever was in his power and therefore in this case it was not a work over and above duty Ver. 10. Ye are witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved our selves among you that believe This verse may be taken as a fifth ground of the similitude to this purpose That as the godly nursing mother doth not only nourish her children with milk and other meat but also endeavours to live among them Christianly that their tender age be not corrupted but rather edified by her good example So Paul did not only feed the Thessalonians spiritually by preaching the Gospel but also made his Christian life and holy practice shine before them while he behaved himself holily as to God in the duties of his worship and justly as to men and in all his dealing with men and which followeth upon the former unblameably or without complaint so as though God might justly tax him 1 Joh. 1. 8. yet man could shew no reason for which to blame him And he saith he behaved himself thus among those that believe the word may be rendred to those that believe implying that in his leading an holy life next to Gods glory he had respect to their good that they might be edified by his good example And for the truth of all this he appealeth both unto themselves and God as witnesses To them as witnesses of his outward conversation and to God as witness of his inward sincerity Doct. 1. As it is the duty of all and especially of Ministers unto
had received the word aright and that it had wrought effectually in them even that they became followers of the Churches of God in their couragious and Christian carriage under sufferings for truths sake 3. As every errour and imperfection in a Church doth not presently unchurch them nor provoke the Lord to withdraw his special and powerful influence which is necessary for actuating the graces of his Spirit in them and for making them fruitful in good works So we ought diligently to distinguish the sinful failings and praise-worthy practices both of persons and Churches that we neither imitate them in what is evil nor yet under a pretence of hatred to their evil neglect to follow and imitate those things in them which are truly good for though the Christian Churches in Judea were in some things extreamly tenacious of the Ceremonial Law now abolished Act. 21. yet they got the name of true Churches and were honoured of God to be eminent sufferers for truth and the Church at Thessalonica did imitate them in their Christian suffering though not in their sinful failings ye became followers of the Churches of God in Judea for ye have suffered like things 4. It is no small encouragement and comfort to the Lords people under a suffering lot that nothing doth befall them but what is common to men yea to the best and choicest of Gods Saints and servants and that the Lord doth try them with nothing but that wherein some of his eminent worthies have ridden the ford before them for Paul comforts them under their sufferings from this that they had the Churches in Judea for their precedents yea and as it is v. 15. Christ himself his Prophets and Apostles ye became followers of the Churches of God in Judea for ye have suffered like things 5. As it addeth no small weight unto a suffering lot that those of our nearest relations are most instrumental in it So such is the fury of a persecuting spirit that when men are judicially given up of God unto it they break all natural and civil bonds and prove unnatural Beasts and Tigers towards those of their most near relations who dare not deny the truth which they do persecute for the Churches both in Judea and Thessalonica were persecuted by their Countrymen which made their sufferings the more weighty The word signifieth men of one Nation Tribe or Company Ver. 15. Who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own Prophets and have persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary to all men 16. Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sins alway for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost The Apostle having occasionally mentioned the persecution raised by the Jews in all places where they had power against the Gospel doth see it necessary not only further to comfort those suffering Thessalonians by shewing that Christ and the Prophets had formerly suffered and they the Apostles did presently suffer no less than they but also to prevent their stumbling at the Gospel upon this ground that the Jews who in former times were Gods only people did so much oppose it Which he doth first by taking off their deceiving vizard or mask of being Gods only people under which they lurked and made themselves terrible to all their opposites by making them appear in their own colours while he reckoneth out seven horrid crimes whereof the body of that people made up of Parents and Children in several succeeding generations were guilty As 1. they killed with great barbarity and cruelty as the word doth signifie Jesus Christ who was the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. and their Lord to whom they owed subjection and homage 2. They killed with the same barbarity the holy Prophets called here their own because they were of their own Nation and sent with a peculiar message to them 3. They persecuted banished and drave away as the word doth signifie Paul and the rest of the Apostles 4. They pleased not God they neither had his favour nor cared much for it Their woful way displeased him exceedingly 5. They were contrary and enemies unto all men to wit in so far as they hindered the course of the Gospel by which alone salvation is brought to lost mankind Tit. 2. 11. This is contained v. 15. Their sixth crime was their violent hindering as the word rendred forbidding doth signifie the Apostles to speak or preach to wit the Gospel unto the Gentiles and consequently obstructing so far as in them lay the salvation almost of all the world The last crime with which they are charged is That however they did not intend any such thing yet by committing those and many other such mischiefs they did alwayes and without intermission fill up their sins that is carry on their wickedness to such a measure and height as God had decreed to permit them to come at without stop or hinderance before he did inflict deserved judgement See the like phrase to this sense Gen. 15. 6. Matth. 23. 32. and having thus reckoned out their crimes he doth further prevent all stumbling at the Gospel that might arise from their opposition to it by shewing that as the wrath of God had already begun to seise upon them by hardning them judicially in sin for he speaks in the preterit time to denote that this wrath was already begun So it should pursue and surprize them suddenly and unexpectedly as the word rendered come doth imply and that to the uttermost without all mitigation or to the end as the word in the original doth read which speaks the continuance of their Judgement until Jerusalem wherein the great part of the Jews were at that time providentially assembled was taken sacked and destroyed by the Romans after which the Jews have hitherto been no more a people but scattered abroad through the face of the earth For confirming this sense of the words see Dan. 9. 26. with Matth. 23. 38. From v. 15. Learn 1. As it doth much imbitter a suffering lot when those who are Satans instruments in it do go disguised under a mask of piety and zeal for truth So it is no less comfort and incouragement to Christs suffering servants when that deceiving mask is taken off their persecutors and they are made to appear in their blackest colours and to be what they really are profane enemies to God under a pretext of friendship to him for because it was one of the most bitter ingredients in all their sufferings that they had their rise from the Jews who were in reputation for Gods only people therefore doth Paul discover them to be but profane Atheists who both killed the Lord Jesus c. 2. It is a choice and excellent cordial to keep a Christian from fainting under his sharpest tryals to call to mind the sore sufferings of the Lord Christ who did willingly John 10. 18. endure much more for us than we can endure for him
the day of Gods righteous judgement in so far as their bodies shall lye dissolved in the grave until then Job 19. 26 27. and then being raised in glory they shall be united unto their souls Joh. 5. 28 29. and the whole man perfectly and unchangeably blessed 1 Thes. 4. 17 18. The Lord having so provided that neither our forerunners without us nor we without our after-comers shall be compleatly glorified but the head-stone of glory being put upon all at once the glorifying of Christ in them and of them in Christ may be the more solemn and glorious for he sheweth that the recompence of rest will be when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed c. and not until them 2. It may contribute not a little to the comfort and encouragement of Christian sufferers and the terrour of their Godless Persecutors to know not only that a day of general Judgement shall be but also that in that day the Lord Jesus shall be Judge even he for whom the Godly suffered Act. 5. 41. who gave himself to death that he might save them Ephes. 5. 25 26 27. who is their head Ephes. 1. 22. their husband 2 Cor. 11. 2. their dearest friend Cant. 5. 16. and therefore he cannot choose but pass a favourable sentence on them and it is he whom wicked men despised Isa. 53. 3. whose gracious offers they rejected Matth. 23. 37. whose servants friends and followers they set at nought and persecuted Gal. 4. 29. and therefore there can be none whose terrible sentence they have more reason to fear than his for in order to the main scope which is to comfort the persecuted Godly and as a mean subservient thereto to terrifie their Godless Persecutors he sheweth that Christ shall be the Judge When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed c. saith he 3. Though there be much revealed preached and mâ—de known of Christ 2 Tim. 4. 17. yet he remaineth obscure and hid The wicked do not know him at all as not believing the truth of what they hear concerning him Isa. 53. 1. until they see it to their own unspeakable sorrow and grief Rev. 1. 7. yea and even the Godly do but know in part 1 Cor. 13. 9. and cannot comprehend by faith and at a distance the hundredth part of that excellency and beautiful glory which they shall find him adorned with when they shall see him face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. Besides that his bodily presence is for the time kept up from their eyes the curtain of the highest Heavens being interposed betwixt them and that glorious sight For while he saith the Lord Jesus shall be then revealed it is implyed that until then he is in a manner hid 4. It may also contribute much to the comfort of the Godly and terrour of the wicked that Jesus Christ the Judge shall come not in a state of humiliation as he did at the first when his divine glory was so much covered over with the vail of humane though sinless Heb. 4. 15. infirmities that a natural eye could see no beauty in him for which it should either desire him or fear him Isa. 53. 2. But he shall come as an exalted King accompanyed with a glorious train of mighty Angels to execute what sentence shall be passed from whom as the Godly can expect nothing but favourable dealing as from their dearest friends their fellow servants Rev. 22. 9. and those who are employed by Christ the Judge to bring about the good of the Elect and in a manner to serve them while they are here on earth Heb. 1. 14. So the wicked can expect nothing but the certain and summary execution of their dreadful sentence from those blessed creatures designed executioners for that very thing whom the damned reprobates cannot resist they are so mighty and strong Psal. 103. 20. nor flee from they are so swift Isa. 6. 2. nor move with flattery and requests they are so true unto their trust Psal. 103. 21. For in order to the comfort of the one and terrour of the other he sheweth how Christ shall come accompanied with a glorious train of mighty Angels 5. Even those things which are in themselves most terrible and shall be so to Godless reprobates at Christs second coming have in them matter of comfort and encouragement unto the Godly and in particular those very flames which shall put those Heavens and Earth which now are all in a blaze and consequently shall prove a most terrible and sadning sight unto the wicked when all their delightsome Idols are burnt up and destroyed before their eyes and that flame of fiery wrath then kindled shall devour themselves unto all eternity even those terrible flames shall be a comfortable sight unto the Godly yea and the fore-thoughts of them may and should yield comfort to them under their present trouble as knowing that the more terrible that judgement is which doth remain for their adversaries the more are they both in their persons and cause owned by the Lord for clearing whereof he will give such evident proofs of his wrath against all who will not favour them as he doth for in order to their comfort he sheweth that Jesus the Lord shall be revealed in flaming fire Ver. 8. Taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. He describeth the day of Judgement secondly from a twofold end of Christs coming on it and joyntly cleareth that two-fold retribution spoken of v. 6 7 The first end relateth to the wicked he shall come to take vengeance on them that is to proceed against them as a wrathful judge with all extremity and without any mixture of mercy for vengeance signifieth a wrathful retribution of evil and those upon whom he shall take vengeance are of two sorts 1. All those whether Pagans or profest Christians who know not God and are ignorant of what may and is necessary in order to salvation to be known of him 2. All those among Christians who though they have some knowledge of gospel-Gospel-truths yet do not yield that subjection and obedience thereunto which is enjoyned by it The greatness of which sin of disobedience to the Gospel is hinted at in this that the Gospel is here called the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ that is a doctrine which he hath revealed and which treateth of him and the way of acquiring a right unto him and to life eternal through him So that to slight and disobey the Gospel is to slight Jesus Christ with all the good things purchased by him Doct. 1. Men by living in their ignorance of God and disobedience to the Gospel do not only wrong themselves and are indeed greatest enemies to their own mercies but do also injure the Lord and what in them lyeth do put an affront upon him as if the knowledge of God were not worth the pains and as if Christ had put himself to unnecessary travel for purchasing life and salvation
way of his rising v. 6. which should keep him still at under until its removal v. 7. after which he would discover himself v. 8. In the fourth branch he foretelleth Antichrists ruine v 8. In the fifth he mentions the means and helps of his advancement to wit 1. Satans assistance 2. A faculty of working lying Miracles v. 9. and 3. Deceitful false doctrines v. 10 In the sixth he sets forth his success and describeth his subjects first from their eternal state they perish 2. From the cause of their perishing to wit their rejecting of truth v. 10. and their believing grossest untruths the Lord having given them up to the power of errour v. 11. Thirdly from the judgement following upon both the former sins v. 12. In the third part he confirms and comforts them against the power and terrour of this apostasie first from the certainty of their perseverance and salvation grounded upon their election v. 13. which he cleareth from their effectual calling v. 14. next by exhorting them to constancy in the doctrine received v. 15. Lastly by praying to God for them that he would comfort and establish them v. 16 17. Ver. 1. NOw we beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him The Apostle being to establish these Thessalonians in the truths against a spreading errour concerning the time of Christ second coming which is expressed v 2. doth first in order to that end beseech them lovingly and meekly as brethren 2. He enforceth the exhortation or rather the disswasive with a kind of religious adjuration by Christs second coming about which the present errour was and by their gathering together unto him to wit at the last day when all the elect shall be fully gathered from the four winds Mat. 24. 31. and caught up to meet the Lord in the air 1 Thes. 4. 17. So that he doth in effect obtest them that as they would have comfort at Christs second coming and partake of that glory which the elect being gathered together shall receive from him then 1 Thes. 4 17. so they would obey the present exhortation and keep themselves at a distance from the following errour Doct. 1. The spirit of errour is so far from being banished and put to silence by the Churches afflictions and weighty sufferings that it sometimes takes occasion from those to rage the more among a people who being wearied with the cross have oft an open ear to receive whatsoever it is whether truth or errour which promiseth most of present ease and of a speedy delivery from their present strait for though this Church was presently under a suffering lot chap. 1. 4. yet this errour which did maintain that Christ was presently to come and put an end to trouble at the last day of judgement did spread fast among them hence Paul doth seriously exhort them to guard against it Now we beseech you brethren 2. The Ministers of Christ ought so to propound the sweet and ravishing consolations of the Gospel to an afflicted people as they do not omit to press such duties on them as their afflicted state calleth for or to tax them for yielding in the least to such tentations as Satan takes advantage from their affliction to assault them with and that because untenderness of this kind doth hinder the most sweet and powerful consolations of the Gospel to work and take effect Jer. 42. 10 11. with 44. 15 c. for Paul having comforted this afflicted Church chap. 1. doth now exhort them to duty and indirectly tax them for their being so soon taken with the present plausible errour Now we beseech you brethren 3. The Minister of Christ as he ought to entertain love betwixt him and the people of his charge and for that end to deal affectionately with them at all times So chiefly when he hath to do with those who are either tainted or in hazard to be tainted with errour especially so long as they are not incorrigible in their errour and that because a spirit of pride doth usually accompany a spirit of errour so that the person tainted with it can hardly endure to be contradicted Gal. 4. 16. if he be not convinced that he who contradicts his errours doth love his person and dealeth affectionately with him for therefore while Paul is about to meddle with their errour he dealeth most affectionately with them Now we beseech you brethren But 4. The Lords Minister ought not under pretence of tender and affectionate dealing with those who are tainted with errour to speak against their errours coldryfly as if it were a thing indifferent whether they returned to a right mind or not but as he would be faithful to God Gal. 1. 10. and the souls of people 2 Cor. 11. 3. he must deal seriously with them set their hazard before them and earnestly obtest them by that which is dearest to them to quit their errour and embrace the contrary truth for thus doth Paul beseech and in a kind adjure them by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto him 5. Errour about a truth or any circumstance of it doth in so far at least hinder or endanger the good and comfort which might be otherwise reaped by it for while Paul obtests them that as they looked for comfort at Christs second coming so they would beware of that errour which did antedate the time of it it is implyed that their embracing of that errour would in some respect hinder or at least hazard the comfort which they might have by the faith of that day We beseech you saith he by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 6. As Christ will certainly come to judge the world and all believers shall be gathered to him as Eagles do resort unto the Carcase Matth. 24. 28. so we ought to entertain thoughts of that day with a kind of religious awe and reverence to wit so as we do not mock at it 2 Pet. 3. 4. but that certainly believing it will be we order all our deportment as we may prepare and make ready for it 2 Pet. 3. 11 12. for he adjures and obtests them by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto him now we use not to obtest but by such things which are most certain and to which we owe a kind of religious respect and reverence 7. Then is the day of Christs second coming desirable and precious to us and thought upon as it ought by us when having made acquaintance and friendship with Christ our Judge we have ground of confidence that he will not be terrible but friendly to us in that day otherwise a man can never think upon it with love desire and religious reverence but will abhor the very thoughts of it for as this obtestation implyeth this day to have been desirable unto them and reverently thought upon by them so Paul doth shew from what this did flow even their interest
were with both hands against all opposition as the word signifieth therefore bâ—ethren stand fast and hold 4. The apostasie of many from the truth and the prevalency of errour is so far from being in reason a motive to make us think the less of truth and to follow the drove that it ought to make us love truth the better cleave to it more firmly and become more rooted in the faith of it that so the storm which bloweth others up by the roots may not unsettle us for from what he spoke of a general apostasie to come he exhorts them that therefore they would stand fast and hold the traditions 5. There is no ground here to establish the authority of Popish unwritten traditions as a partial rule of faith and manners of equal authority with the written Word of God for though some of those traditions here mentioned were not written by Paul in any of these two Epistles yet they as all other truths necessary to salvation were committed either before or after this to sacred writ 2 Tim. 3. 15 17. traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle Ver. 16. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace He confirms them thirdly by praying to God for them that he would work those things in them which he was pressing upon them to wit comfort and constancy In which prayer he first layeth down some arguments for strengthning both his own and their confidence in expectation of an answer The first is taken from that near relation wherein Christ and God to whom he prayeth did stand towards them Christ himself being their Lord Jesus Christ and God their Father The second from Gods special love to them The third from the fruits of his love already enjoyed 1. Consolation that is ease of mind from and encouragement of spirit against all causes of sorrow which is actually attained by real believers at some times Psal. 27. 1 2. and all such have sufficient grounds and reason for it alwayes Heb. 3. 17 18. and the meanest measure of it enjoyed by any here is an earnest of that full and perfect freedom and ease from all sorrows and weights of sin and misery which they shall enjoy in Heaven for ever Job 4. 14. and therefore is it called everlasting consolation 2. Good hope that is both solid grounds of hope and the grace of hope it self whereby we make use of those grounds by expecting all the good things which God hath promised Rom. 8. 25. which two fruits of love are described from their common fountain Gods grace and favour not only without but contrary to our deserving Isa. 64. 6. Doct. 1. That precepts and exhortations to duty do not inferr a power in mans free-will to obey fee upon 1 Thes. 5. 23. doct 2. for he here prayeth that God would work that in them which he hath presently pressed upon them Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself c. 2. As it is the Lords blessing and powerful working of his spirit which maketh the word Preached gain ground on hearts 1 Cor. 3. 7. So it is the duty of Ministers and of people also to deal with God in earnest by Prayer for his promised spirit to accompany the Word Preached and make it lively seeing the Lord hath undertaken to give his holy spirit unto those who ask him Luk. 11. 13. for Paul having pressed comfort and constancy doth pray to God that he would comfort and establish them and thereby teacheth them to do the like Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself c. 3. That a man may stand fast especially in trying times there is more required than conviction of duty or a fixed resolution to stand to his duty Matth. 26. 33 35. There must be also a continued influence from the Lord of cheerfulness comfort and courage otherwise all will be to little purpose for Paul seeth this necessary and therefore prayeth for it Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself c. 4. That Jesus Christ is true God equal with the Father appeareth from this that not only he is one who heareth prayer the author and bestower of all spiritual blessings which are here sought from him and said to be already bestowed by him but also he is named before the Father which certainly had been blaspheamous if he were not also true God Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father c. 5. That Christ is a distinct person from the Father though one in substance with him appears from this that they are here distinguished by Paul Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father 6. That God the Father is usually named before the Son doth not inferr any inequality betwixt them but only the order of subsistence and working which is among the persons of the blessed Trinity for here Christ the second person is named first to shew there is not any such inequality Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father 7. That our prayers should be directed unto God only see upon Eph. 1. 17. doct 3. for so doth Paul alwayes direct his Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself c. 8. Our prayers to God should not consist of multiplyed petitions only but ought to be fraughted with such arguments and motives for obtaining what we ask as may strengthen our confidence in expectation of an answer for such are the Apostles prayers Now our Lord which hath loved us and given us c. 9. In seeking things needful from God we should look upon him not as standing disaffected to us and at a distance with us but according to the nearest relations which we can reckon our selves to have unto him for Paul eyeth Christ and God as his and their Christ and Father Now our Lord and God even 〈◊〉 Father 10. The Faith of Gods special love doth strongly underprop the heart with confidence of a gracious answer in prayer as knowing that love in God is communicative of any thing in God that is good and needful for the party loved Psal. 84. 11. and that seeing his love hath given Christ which is more he will not withhold that which is less Rom. 8. 32. for Paul doth strengthen his confidence from this ground while he saith which hath loved us 11. Our former receipts from God should be improved as helps and props for strengthning confidence in expectation of obtaining yet further from him even whatever our necessities call for and his glory shall require at our hand This being the Lords usual way to do good because he hath done good and therefore prayer should not be wholly stuffed with heartless complaints of what we want there should be a mixture of humble and thankful acknowledgement also of what we already have and an argument drawn from thence to plead for more for so doth Paul here Who hath given us everlasting
extraordinarily gifted by the Holy Ghost for that end may abundantly fix us in the Faith of those truths it being impossible that the God of truth should ever have set his Seal unto a Lye Rom. 3. 4. For Paul would have them confirmed and constant in the Faith of these truths Preached by him because they were confirmed with such signs and wonders and in the Holy Ghost 6. The more a Minister be perswaded and above all doubt of the truth of what he Preaches the more he believes and doth therefore speak and the more he speaks as one who believes and hath ventured his soul upon the truth which he Preaches his Preaching will prove the more powerfull and apt to work effectually upon the hearts of hearers and the more he doubts the less he believes and is perswaded of these truths which he Preacheth his Preaching will prove the more warsh lifeless and coldryf For we may look on the third expression as one ground and cause of what is held forth in the first their Gospel came in power because it came in much assurance or the Preachers did assuredly believe the truths which they Preached see 1 Cor. 3. 12. Psal. 16. 10. 7. The Lord hath indued his Church and eespecially believers in his Church with a gift of discerning whereby they may be enabled in some measure to put difference betwixt a lively powerful Ministry and that which is coldryf dead and lifeless betwixt the man who speaks because he believes and him who though he speak yet believeth not In the exercise of which gift they would not be rash in passing an immediate sentence upon the hearts of Ministers Col. 2. 23. except in so far as their inward temper doth kyth in their external actions Matth. 7. 16. They would not be peremptory in passing certain judgement especially to the worst upon a doubtful evidence 1 Cor. 13. 7. Nor yet too open minded to vent what they judge Jam. 1. 19. especially when they can gain nothing by so doing but the raising of prejudices against a Minister in the minds of others and consequently the marring of that good which they were reaping by him However that they are indued with this gift is clear from this that Paul appeals to the Thessalonians as witnesses of that power and much assurance in which he Preached while he saith As ye know what manner of men we were among you 8. It is a Ministers wisdom and a piece of Christian modesty in speaking to his own commendation to hold himself most by that for the truth whereof he may appeal to the ears eyes and chiefly to the consciences of his hearers For so doth Paul appeal to their consciences for the truth of what he spoke As ye know what manner of men we were among you 9. These excellent gifts and graces and other ministerial qualifications which Christ bestoweth upon godly and able Ministers are not bestowed upon them for their own sake or particular satisfaction and advantage only or so much as for the behoof of the Church and especially of the Elect in it he dealeth the more liberally with Ministers for the sake of those and therefore they should improve and make use of all their receipts for the good of â—uch For Paul sheweth that he was inabled to Preach in power in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance for their sake Ver. 6. And ye became followers of us and of the Lord having received the Word in much affliction with â—â—y of the Holy Ghost Here is a fourth reason of their thanksgiving to God which serveth also as an evidence moving Paul in Charity to judge all these to be elected of God unto Eternal Life in whom he had ground to conceive that this here spoken of was verified And this reason of thanksgiving or evidence of election is taken from the saving effects of the Gospel Preached upon them which are first generally proponed to wit that in their life and practice they had been followers of or conformed themselves to that excellent pattern and example held forth unto them by their Preachers and the Lord Christ. 2. Illustrated 1. from the necessary antecedent or moving cause of their so doing which was their receiving the Word Preached to wit in their judgements by understanding the sense Act. 8. 30. and assenting to the truth of it Heb. 4. 2. and in their heart and affections by embracing the good things offered by it 1 Tim. 1. 15. and subjecting themselves in all things to be ruled by the prescript of it Matth. 7. 24. 2. From an instance of some things wherein they did imitate such excellent patterns to wit that as Christ and his Servants had readily Preached the Gospel with much spiritual joy Joh. 4. 34. notwithstanding many hard pressures and afflictions both from men and Devils Acts 5. 41 42. So they had chearfully embraced the Gospel and adhered to it in the midst of much affliction and persecution unto which they were so far from a base ceding that they did couragiously sustain the dint of it with joy and a joy not carnal and natural but spiritual and such whereof the Holy Ghost is Author Doct. 1. Though charity believeth all things 1 Cor. 13. 7. and maketh a man easie to be perswaded of any good thing in another yet a Christian ought not to be foolishly credulous so as to believe things without far less against evidence But his charity in judging ought to be ruled by prudence so as he believe nothing but upon some probability and appearance For Paul did not judge them Elect but upon some evidence even this that they were followers of him and of the Lord. 2. The way approved of God for attaining the Faith of our own Election or a charitable perswasion of the Election of others is not to dive in immediately and at the first step upon the secrets of Gods decree as if we had stood in his counsel Jer. 23. 18. But by way of discourse and reasoning to collect and conclude that God hath elected us or others from the work of saving grace and the effects of that work kything in us or them For the Apostles scope here as I shew is not only to give an additional reason of his thanksgiving but also an evidence from which he did conclude their Election from the fruits and effects of saving grace in them Ye became followers of us and of the Lord saith he 3. It is the duty of Christians and such as being made conscience of doth strongly savour of a gracious change in them to propound unto themselves for imitation not the example of a multitude to do evil Exod. 23. 2. but of those in whom they observe the most eminent evidences of a work of saving grace For the Apostle doth mention this as a matter of their commendation a reason of thanksgiving to God on their behalf and as an evidence of their Election that they did imitate him and his Associates And ye became
was not in vain That is was not 1. rashly undertaken without a call from God nor 2. discharged by him perfunctoriously or in a vain shew but in sincerity Nor yet 3. was it without fruit among them for the following purpose which serveth as a commentary to this verse doth shew that the vanity which he removes from his entrance to them must be extended to all those Besides the force of the word will bear so much that being a vain thing or done vainly which is done rashly or without a warrant from God which is done with more of vain shew than of real solidity and sincerity and which being done hath no effect or fruit And for the truth of this assertion he appeals to their own conscience and knowledge and thereby doth also confirm the truth of that report which he shewed Chap. 1. 9. was spread among the forreign Churches concerning his manner of entring in unto them as appears from the causal particle for Hence Learn 1. This may and in reason should commend the love of truth unto a people and make them constantly cleave unto it that truth hath been preached unto them by Ministers sent from God for that very end whose life and practice have preached unto them as well as their doctrine and whose pains and travel hath been blessed of God among them to their own discerning for the Apostles scope in this first part of the Chapter by a narration of his call from God to preach unto them of his Ministerial carriage among them and of the fruits of his labours towards them is to incite them to constancy and perseverance in the doctrine received 2. That others do report well of us and that our name and fame for the graces of God bestowed upon us be fragrant among many is then a mercy when our own Consciences can bear testimony that there is some ground and reason for it otherwise to have a name that we are living and yet be dead increaseth our guilt and proveth a snare Rev. 3. 1. for the Apostle having shewn chap. 1. v. 8. how well they were reported of by forreign Churches doth here imply that they themselves knew there was reason for it for your selves know c. 3. It is not enough that a Minister be well reported of among strangers for sincerity and diligence except he do approve himself to the Consciences of his hearers so as he may appeal to them for the truth of what strangers do report of him for Paul appeals to the Thessalonians themselves about the truth of that which forreign Churches reported of his entry unto them for your selves know our entrance in unto you 4. Where a Minister is called of God and carryeth himself sincerely and faithfully in his calling his Preaching and other pains do very rarely if ever want fruit either sooner or latter Joh. 4. 37 38. either manifest or secret Joh. 14. 42. for Pauls entrance unto them was not in vain that is as was exponed not without a call from God not in vain shew and without sincerity and diligence and therefore it was not in vain without fruit Ver. 2. But even after that we had suffered before and were shamefully intreated as ye know at Philippi we were bold in our God to speak unto you the Gospel of God with much contention He doth here prove his entrance was not in vain mainly as to the first thing though not excluding the other two which I shew was pointed at in that expression to wit that his undertaking of that employment was not rashly but at Gods appointment One convincing evidence whereof was that he ventured upon it over the belly of such discouragements and disadvantages as no wise man without a call from God would ever have set his face against And first he mentions what sufferings in his body and disgraceful injuries against his reputation and credit he had sustained for Preaching the Gospel a little before he came to them as they themselves knew in their neighbouring City of Philippi where he was most injuriously and shamefully used See Act. 16. 22 23 24. And next he shews that all his sufferings of that sort were so far from making him shrink that notwithstanding them all he took the boldness being furnished thereunto by Gods grace and assistance and therefore it is called a boldness in God to Preach the Gospel publickly concealing no necessary truth without all base fear of flesh as the word rendred we were bold doth imply and that in Thessalonica the prime City of all Macedonia where were most Jews enemies to the Gospel and therefore he might in all probability have expected to incur as much hazard there as in any place else which the event did verifie for as he shews in the close of the verse he Preached there with much contention the word signifieth combating or fighting to wit both by disputing with and suffering from his malicious opposites which contention together with his boldness here spoken of is clearly held forth Act. 17. from v. 1. to 10. Doct. 1. Though a mans couragious venturing upon probable or certain sufferings doth not it self alone prove his doctrine to be truth or his calling from God to Preach that doctrine Matth. 23. 15. yet when other more firm arguments are not wanting taken from the Doctrine it self the mans Ministerial carriage the success of his pains among the Lords people that other taken from his constancy and courage in suffering joyned with them doth not want its own weight for Paul joyneth this of his courage in suffering with other arguments which follow to prove his entrance was not in vain that is his doctrine and calling were from God But even after that we had suffered before we were bold c. 2. That a Ministers pains may not be without fruit and in that respect vain among a people he should make Conscience to deliver his message with freedom and boldness so as he omit no necessary truth for fear of flesh Act. 20. 20. and in an authoritative way make through application of general truths by rebuking comforting exhorting reproving to the several ranks of hearers 2 Tim. 4. 2. without which a mans Ministry doth for the most part prove but coldryf dead and lifeless for the Apostle mentions this of his boldness to speak or freedom and boldness which he used in speaking as a reason why his entrance was not in vain or without success But we were bold in our God to speak 3. As a suffering lot doth usually attend sincere and faithful Ministers So it often falls out that they meet with most of trouble and suffering at the close of some notable piece of service done to their master Christ Satans malice is hereby more provoked Act. 16. 18 19. and God giveth way to his malice then to teach his servants that their reward is not to be expected here Act. 14. 19. with 22. and to divert them by this humbling exercise from being transported with lofty
their flocks to walk before them in the good example of an holy life otherwise they cannot choose but destroy more by their unministerial walking than they can build up and edifie by their most excellent and Orthodox Preaching So it is a singular mercy unto a people when God gives them such a Minister as even his very life and carriage doth Preach unto them for Pauls life was thus exemplary for piety before the Thessalonians and he doth speak of it as a mercy from God unto believers among them ye are witnesses saith he how holily we behaved our selves among you or to you that believe implying that his living so was much for their behoof and he saith how holily to shew his carriage was singularly and eminently holy and not according to the ordinary strain only 2. Then is the life of a Christian and especially of a Christian Minister such as it ought when he hath respect to all the Commandments as well to those of the first Table by living holily to God as of the second by living justly towards men for so did Paul how holily and justly we behaved our selves 3. It concerneth all men and chiefly Ministers to carry themselves unblameably and so as neither men have just reason to complain of them nor they be too querulous and much in complaining of their own lot measured out unto them by God or of every unkindness they may receive from the people of their charge There being no rank of people which hath the eyes of more upon them and whose escapes do more incapacitate them to do good in their station and whom the Lord doth more earnestly call to the exercise of patience without all seeming to repine than those of the Ministry for the word in the original rendred unblameable doth signifie without complaint and that both in an active and passive sense that is so that we do not much complain of others and that others have not reason to complain of us how unblameably we behaved our selves 4. No man may need to expect he can so walk as that none complain of him or be displeased with him It is sufficient for a good man in order to his peace that he do so behave himself as he give no occasion of complaint unto any and that those who are really gracious do approve of him But as for those who are yet in their unrenewed state a man may expect that the more Christianly he doth walk he shall be reproached the more and spoken evil of by such 1 Pet. 3. 16. for taking â—he words as they are here rendred among you that believe Paul doth thereby imply he was not free of blame from all but only from believers among them 5. That a man do live a truly pious and Christian life it is not sufficient that he discharge all the external duties of the first and second table with such exactness that the sharpest sighted of men cannot justly tax him but he must also make Conscience of inward and spiritual duties and that he do what he doth in single-hearted sincerity from such motives and for such ends as God approveth and whereof only God himself is witness otherwise the more that a man do in the external duty he is the more refined and self-deceiving hypocrite for Paul made conscience both of external and internal duties as it appeareth from his taking men to witness of the former and God to witness of the latter ye are witnesses and God also c. Ver. 11. As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a father doth his children He doth here prove that his life was such among them as he presently spoke of and thereby shews somewhat further of that laudable and praise-worthy ministerial carriage which he had among them for the truth whereof he appealeth also to their own knowledge and conscience how that as a father whose office is to instruct his children being come to age Gen. 18. 19. he made application of the doctrine delivered by him unto every one of them in particular by exhorting some to duty duty to wit seriously and with much intreaty as the word doth signifie by comforting others under their outward crosses or inward sad exercises and in order hereto by peaking lovingly and affectionately unto them as the word doth signifie and by charging or obtesting others and that with most severe commination of terrible judgements as the word doth usually imply Doct. 1. The most exact touchstone whereby to try the real soundness of any mans holiness is to judge him by what he is in the duties of his particular station If so he not only discharge the common duties which are incumbent to every Christian of whatsoever calling but also make conscience of those particular duties unto which he is in a peculiar manner obliged as a man set in such a station whether as a Magistrate or Minister or Master or servant c. for Paul doth mention his diligence in the several duties of his particular calling as a Minister for an evidence that his life was holy just and unblameable while he saith immediately after the former purpose as you know how we exhorted c. 2. As a Christian and especially a Minister may sometimes speak to the commendation of his own carriage and thereby do God good service 2 Cor. 6. 3 4 c. So Christian prudence should teach him to single out those things especially for the matter of his own commendation for which he knoweth he is already approved and commended unto peoples own consciences for Paul doth commend his own Ministerial carriage from such things most as appeareth by his reiterated appeals to their own consciences for bearing witness to the truth of what he saith and here he appealeth again As you know saith he 3. As the chief piece of a Ministers work is to make pertinent application of general truths unto the particular cases of the Lords people So because the case of all is not one and the same but diverse therefore he must chiefly in the applicatory part of his work cut and divide the word aright 2 Tim. 2. 15. not by speaking unto all the same things and alike but assigning unto every man his own convenient portion by exhorting the more tractable comforting the afflicted and by obtesting and charging under all highest pain such as are more refractory and obstinate for so doth Paul ye know saith he how we exhorted and comforted and charged 4. It is not sufficient exoneration of a Minister that he Preach in publick and there make as particular application of general truths as in prudence he may But because there are some things which it is not expedient to mention in publick Eph. 5. 12. and some who cannot be so well gained by taxing their sin in publick and others who shuffle by themselves the closest application that a Minister in prudence can make in the publick therefore he is also obliged to make application
of and to dispense the word to every one in private severally and apart so far as he may without appearance of evil chap. 5. 22. or wasting the time which should of necessity be spent in fitting him for and discharging of the publick duties of his Ministry which he oweth unto all for Paul exhorted comforted and charged every one of them 5. The Minister of Christ should so behave himself with meekness and gentleness as that he do not by an excess of those weaken his Ministerial gravity authority and respect A mixture of both is an excellent composition which if any other doth most beseem a Minister for Paul having shewn that for gentleness he was a nursing mother v. 7. c. he declareth here that for authority and gravity he was as a father As a father doth his Children c. Ver. 12. That ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory Here is first what he exhorted them to even to walk worthy of the Lord not as if they could have demerited his favour which is free Rom. 11. 6. but that they might so walk as to resemble him in what concerned their duty 1 Pet. 1. 14 15. As a child is said to be worthy of such a father when he imitateth him and so as their life might be accounted worthy to be taken notice of by him when they with all their actions should come to stand and be judged in his sight Next there is a reason to inforce this walk in a description of God from his gracious act of calling them to partake not only of his Kingdom of grace here but also of glory hereafter Doct. 1. As Christians are not called to Idleness or to stand still doing nothing but to walk and make progress So the rule by which they ought to walk is not their own corrupt wit nor yet the approbation or example of men but that excellent pattern of divine properties and vertues which Scripture ascribeth to God and are held forth to be imitated by us in so far as our duty is expressed by them for Paul says they were called to walk worthy of the Lord. 2. Though there is no walk attended with such real profit credit or comfort as our walking worthy of the Lord and labouring to resemble him yet so backward are we to the way so apt to be discouraged in it so resolute are men by nature never to own it that there must be no small work before we condescend to enter it yea the Godly themselves do need a sharp spur to pouse them forward to keep them from fainting in it or turning away from it for Paul saw it needful to exhort comfort and charge even those whom God had already called that they would walk worthy of God 3. As none can walk worthy of God but those who are effectually called all others being dead and destitute of any principle of spiritual life and motion So then do we improve those excellent priviledges which follow upon effectual calling aright when we do not turn grace unto wantonness but look on all our gracious receipts as so many ingagements and incitements unto duty for he supposeth they were called and draweth an argument from their calling and those gracious priviledges which follow on it to make them walk worthy of God walk worthy of God who hath called you saith he to his Kingdom and glory 4. As there is an inseparable connexion betwixt a mans being a kindly subject of Gods Kingdom of Grace here and his partaking of glory hereafter So there is not any thing of greater force to make a man walk worthy of God by leading an holy life than his well grounded faith and hope of glory to be injoyed in Heaven The man who looketh to be in Heaven for ever cannot choose but have his conversation in Heaven and iâ—â—ure himself somewhat to the custome and manners of that Country where he intends to live eternally for Paul makes the partaking of Gods glory to follow necessarily upon reception to his Kingdom and both an argument to make them walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and glory Ver. 13. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe The Apostle having already set forth his own ministerial carriage doth now in further prosecution of his main scope which is to incite them unto constancy put them in mind of the success of his Ministry among them and thereby confirmeth that his entrance unto them was not in vain as to the third thing which I shewed on v. 1. was pointed at by that expression And first he expresseth his success among them briefly while he sheweth that uncessantly or at all times when occasion offered and God required he made conscience of thanksgiving to God for the work of their effectual calling by his Ministry implyed in the expression for this cause which relates to the close of v. 12. even because God had called them to his Kingdom and glory And next he proves they were effectually called and thereby doth more fully express the success of his Ministry by shewing 1. They had heard the word of God preached by him attentively 2. They received it being heard or did take it to their second consideration whether it was the word of God or not for so the word rendered received in the former part of the verse doth imply even to receive what is spoken in order to the tryal of what truth is in it 3. After tryal they found and were perswaded that it was no humane invention but the truth of God and here Paul inserts in a parenthesis that it is so indeed and consequently that they were not mistaken in their perswasion 4. They did receive and embrace it as such for the word rendered received in the second place differs in the original from the former and signifieth so to receive as with the heart and by faith to embrace what after tryal hath been found to be truth 5. The word being thus received did work effectually in believers among them a gracious and real change from sin to holiness of life as the fruit of the word is set forth 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. The word in the original signifieth to work with a kind of irresistable efficacy Doct. 1. The Lord doth usually bless with success the pains of those Ministers whose life and conversation doth prove exemplary for piety unto the flock and an ornament unto the Gospel which they Preach for Pauls pains whose life and conversation was such as is formerly held forth were blessed with that measure of success among the Thessalonians as he seeth reason to thank the Lord for it for this cause also thank we God 2. As a Minister may sometimes reflect with joy
convinced it was his duty to visit this Church and being long impeded from it doth look upon his disappointment as an unsupportable weight when we could not longer forbear or endure and bear this weight 3. Holy submission and patience under cross dispensations by which the Child of God is retarded in the way of duty do no way abolish but are well consistent with a fervent desire and earnest endeavour by all lawful means to prosecute that duty wherein he is crossed Submission indeed removeth fretting impatience Act. 21. 14. but it quickneth holy desires and diligence for Paul who as he reverenced God in all cross dispensations Phil. 4. 11. and so doubtless also in this doth yet use his utmost diligence to compass the duty wherein he was crossed and for that end he thought good to be left at Athens alone by sending Timotheus to supply his absence 4. Where there is love unfeigned and a sincere desire after the Churches good it will make the man indued with it postpone his own good and comfort unto theirs to wit his own temporal good to their spiritual 1 Cor. 8. 18. yea his own conveniency to their necessity both in things temporal and spiritual as here Pauls sincere and ardent affection to their good made him spoile himself of all good company and willing to be left at Athens alone 5. As in all duties so especially in duties of kindness to Christs afflicted members it is not so much to be attended what we do as from what inward principle we are acted And particularly the more of cheerfulness and hearty affection goeth along with our duty it is the more praise-worthy and accepted both by God and man and where there is sincere love what will it make a man not do endure or cheerfully suffer for the good of the party loved for Pauls love to them made him cheerfully and willingly deprive himself of all good company for their sake and the worth and acceptableness of what he did for them lyeth in this that he did it willingly we thought good saith he or had an eager affection and good will to be left at Athens alone Ver. 2. And sent Timotheus our brother and minister of God and our fellow labourer in the Gospel of Christ to establish you and to comfort you concerning your faith He doth next shew what his fervent affection had moved him to do for them and for what end he did it He had sent Timotheus unto them and that he might shew his respect to them in the worth of him whom he had sent he doth commend Timotheus from three Epithetes as being first a brother the usual epithete of Christians Act. 11. 29. because they are born of God John 13. their one Father in Christ Eph. 4. 6. 2. A minister of God because of his office to Preach the Gospel 2 Tim. 4. 2. 3. Pauls fellow-labourer because he was his joynt-collegue in the Gospel that is in Preaching the Gospel And the end why he did then send him was first to confirm or underprop them as the word signifieth to wit lest they had been either drawn from the truth by deceitful reasonings Col. 2. 8. or driven from it by force of persecution Matth. 10. 22. Secondly to comfort them the word signifieth both to exhort and comfort and he was sent for both not only to comfort them under their sad sufferings but also to exhort them unto constancy notwithstanding of them Now the thing which he was mainly to confirm them in and by exhortation to press upon them is their faith that is their firm assent and adhering to the truths of the Gospel Doct. 1. Holy desire and fervent love to duty is most ingenious and witty to find out wayes for discharging the duty even when all ordinary access to it doth seem to be obstructed for love and desire in Paul to confirm and comfort these Thessalonians in their need makes him find out a way to do that by another which he could no wayes do himself And sent Timotheus to establish you 2. Church-guides or judicatories who are charged with the oversight of several Congregations where they cannot in person officiate themselves are not exonered by sending forth unto the Lords Vineyard any who may be had except they employ the fittest and such of whom there are grounds of hope that through the Lords help he may carry on the work for which he is sent for Paul not being able to go himself sends not every one but a man every way fitted for the work even Timotheus a brother c. 3. As Ministers especially they who are of elder standing and best known in the Church are bound to give their deserved testimony unto others of the Lords servants for gaining them respect and credit among the people of their charge So then is a Minister sufficiently qualified and worthy to be commended as a compleat Minister when first he is a man in all appearance truly pious for Paul commendeth Timothy from this he was a brother 2. When he is painful and laborious about his masters work Timotheus was a labourer 3. When he is a lover of unity and entertaineth peace with others of his masters servants striving to work with them Phil. 1. 27. and not against them in a way of his own separate from them Timotheus was a fellow-labourer And 4. When he is a lover of truth as well as of peace and studyeth unity but in so far as it thwareth not with vertue for he is commended as a fellow-labourer in the Gospel of Christ. Doct. 4. The office of an Evangelist among other things see upon Eph. 4. 11. was to confirm and establish in the faith those Churches which the Apostles had already planted for Timotheus an Evangelist 2 Tim. 4. 5. was sent by Paul to comfirm and establish this Church in the faith 5. Such is Satans enmity against the grace of faith and so many are his onsets what by one means what by another to brangle it Luk. 22. 31 32. as knowing therein the believers great strength doth lye 1 Joh. 5. 4. that even the strongest faith hath need of confirmation and establishment And it is the Godly mans wisdom and duty in trying times to have a special care to guard his faith as that grace which not only Satan striveth to shake most but also upon the stability whereof the safety strength and vigour of his other graces depend much for though Paul had praised their faith much chap. 1. 8. yet he sends here to confirm it and it especially more than any other of their graces to establish you concerning your faith saith he 6. A singular means for strengthning faith under sad afflictions and tryals is for Ministers to hold out and people to embrace those excellent comforts which the word of truth holds forth to the Lords people in suffering times Our standing at a distance from and questioning our interest in those do breed discouragement and terrour and thereby make
way for shameful fainting in duty and foul defection from truth Heb. 12. 13. for Timotheus was sent both to establish and comfort them concerning their faith Ver. 3. That no man should be moved by these afflictions for your selves know that we are appointed thereunto He doth here shew 1. The necessity at that time of his sending Timotheus to establish them to wit the prevention of an apparent hazard lest any of them because of Pauls or their own afflictions should have been drawn away by flattery or shaken and moved from truth like the taile of a dog following upon his master as the word signifieth 2. And because the same hazard did yet remain in part he useth two arguments for their present establishment against fainting either under his or their affliction The first in this verse to this purpose They themselves knew or were sufficiently instructed from the doctrine of the Gospel that all Christs followers Mark 8. 34. and chiefly the Apostles 1 Cor. 4. 9. were appointed or as the word is rendred Luk. 2. 34. set as a mark at which the arrows of affliction and persecution are shot Now they are thus appointed and set as a mark for trouble by God both in his eternal counsel Rom. 8. 29. and in his actual separating them from the world by converting grace 1 Pet. 2. 21. Doct. 1. A Ministers care should be extended towards all and every one of his charge not only the great the rich the strong in grace and eminent but even to the poor the outwardly base contemptible and to such as are but weak even babes in Christ Heb. 5. 12 13. and this as at all times so especially when they are exercised with sharp tryals and sore afflictions for Pauls care was thus extended towards all at such a time as is implyed while he saith That no man should be moved 2. The Lords faithful servants may be so much supported by grace under their saddest sufferings as that their fear and care will be more exercised towards others of the Lords people and about the possible sinful consequences of their trouble upon others than any thing that doth concern themselves for supponing the afflictions here spoken of to be Pauls own as certainly his own are not excluded we find him more afraid of their stumbling than careful of himself That no man saith he should be moved at these afflictions 3. As Christians under afflictions for truth are in hazard to be shaken brangled and tossed to and fro with the wind of strong tentations which take their rise from thence So the ordinary tentations wherewith the Tempter doth assault afflicted Christians have much of insinuating flattery in them while he seemeth to commiserate their present case and promiseth much contentment and ease if they step but a little aside from the way of duty for attaining to an outgate for the word rendred to be moved signifieth to be shaken as a dogs taile and drawn away by flattery That no man should be moved by these afflictions 4. So much ought we to adore and reverence the Lords supream dominion and absolute providence as presently without debate to stoop and imbrace whatsoever lot is measured out unto us by it for he perswades them to endure affliction without fainting from this that they and others were appointed thereunto by God 5. The faith of this that the Lord hath firmly decreed to bring his followers by the way of the cross to their crown and to make them first to suffer with Christ before they reign with him is an excellent remedy to stay and settle the believer against fainting and wavering under the sorest trouble for this is the remedy prescribed here by Paul for we are appointed thereunto saith he 6. Scripture comforts under afflictions cannot support a man except he know them and be acquainted with them and ignorance is often the cause of our great impatience for he makes their knowledge of Gods appointment necessary in order to their drawing comfort from it for saith he your selves know that we are appointed thereunto Ver. 4. For verily when we were with you we told you before that we should suffer tribulation even as it came to pass and ye know He confirmeth here what he said of their knowing that Christians are appointed and called to undergo a suffering lot as appeareth by the causal particle for and withal doth add a second argument to preserve them from fainting to this purpose They themselves knew and could bear him witness that when he was among them at Thessalonica Act. 17. 1 c. he had foretold them that both he and they were to meet with much tribulation from their oppressing persecutors which prediction was now made out and verified by the event and therefore there was no occasion from them to faint because of affliction seeing they were so timously fore-warned of it Doct. 1. It is the duty of Christs Ministers to give timous warning unto the Lords people of tryals and hardships which they cannot choose but encounter in their Christian course lest otherwise when they are surprized with unexpected trouble they repent their undertaking and succumb Mark 14. 17. for Paul did timously and when he was with them foretel that they should suffer tribulation 2. When the Lords servants have an open door to Preach the Gospel unto a people they ought to stir their time and instruct their hearers in all necessary truths as not knowing how soon the door may be shut and the present opportunity of doing good removed Prov. 27. 4. for so did Paul when he was with them he told them of all necessary truths and of this in particular that we should suffer tribulation saith he 3. That the Lords people have had timous warning from the word of truth of their troubles which will attend them in their Christian course it ought in reason to keep them from fainting and stumbling at a cross when they meet with one for this is the Apostles scope in this verse to reason them up to a couragious frame of spirit under tribulation because he had told them before of it 4. As Ministers ought to be circumspect in their predictions foretelling nothing for certain but what the word of truth giveth ground to believe that it shall undoubtedly come to pass lest otherwise when the event doth not answer the prediction their Ministry be brought unto contempt So the fulfilling of such predictions doth strongly confirm the truth of the word and underprop the believer in the faith of it notwithstanding of any sad affliction or hardship he may be under for adhering to it for Paul foretold nothing but what the event did verifie and from this that the event did answer his prediction he doth perswade them not to faint but to adhere to truth although they were under present trouble for it We told you before that we should suffer tribulation even as it came to pass Ver. 5. For this cause when I could no longer forbear
of those boiling passions 3. As there are several degrees of one and the same sin the former whereof maketh way to the latter So then do we set against a sin to purpose when we not only lop the utmost branches or set our selves to refrain from the outward act but also to restrain the inward motions and desires of the heart after it for he will have them to set against the inward lust or passion of concupiscence as the most ready mean of abstinence from the breaking out of concupiscence in the outward act of fornication spoken of v. 3. Doct. 4. The sight of sins prevalency in others should not allure us to it but much rather scare us from it there being thereby occasion offered to get a more full and clear sight of the tyranny and loathsome filthiness of sin given way to than can be attained by the hearing of the ear and word-speaking for therefore doth he set before them the prevalency of this sin among the Pagan-Gentiles to scare them from it even as the Gentiles saith he 5. As that is only worthy to be called the knowledge of God which is operative upon the heart and affections So ignorance of God is a woful root from whence many other sins do spring up The Lord sometimes judicially giving the ignorant person over to those other sins as a just punishment for his affected ignorance Besides that the knowledge of God which we ought to have includeth the knowledge of our duty wherein we honour him being so known and therefore they who know not God cannot but sin as not knowing whereat they stumble for although the Pagan-Gentiles had some knowledge of God yet because their knowledge was not operative and effectual he affirms simply they knew him not and makes their ignorance the cause of their uncleanness even as the Gentiles which know not God 6. Though the child of God is not bound to abstain from every thing which unrenewed men practise for even they may do some things which are in themselves and materially good Rom. 2. 14. yet as they should eschew every sinful practice of others so especially such practises as are speaking evidences of their living in their unrenewed state for Paul dâ—sswades them from living in the lust of uncleanness because this was the practice of the unrenewed Gentiles and such a practice as did demonstrate they knew nothing of God savingly and as they ought even as the Gentiles saith he which know not God Ver. 6. That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter because that the Lord is the avenger of all such as we also have forewarned you and testified He doth here press a second branch of that sanctification spoken of v. 1. The exhortation is first proponed to this sense That in no matter or in no business of common commerce they should wrong their brother either by open violence as the word rendred go beyond implyeth it signifieth to go above or trample upon one as despicable and so expresseth to the life the nature and way of proud and insolent oppressours nor yet by secret fraud and deceit as the other word is expresly rendred see also 2 Cor. 7. 2. and the party whom they are discharged to oppress or deceive is their brother that is one of the same Religion with them Deut. 17. 15. whereby he meaneth not as if it were lawful to oppress others see the contrary Exod. 22. 21. but because the most of their traffick and commerce being probably with Christians and among themselves the consideration of their interest in the person injured by them would add no small weight to their sin 1 Cor. 6. 6. Next he addeth a reason to enforce not only this disswasive but the former v. 5. and it 's taken from one dreadful effect of all such sins they lay open the person guilty to Gods dreadful vengeance and he confirmeth the truth hereof from this that he had often told them so much before when he was with them and not only simply told but seriously testified and earnestly obtested them to believe the truth of what he had deponed as it were upon oath unto them for so much doth the word imply Doct. 1. The wise Lord hath judged it fitting so to dispense of things worldly unto mankind not giving all things needful unto any one as that men cannot live without mutual commerce and exchange of commodities from one hand to another for he suppones the necessity of mutual commerce while he forbiddeth oppression and deceit in it that no man go beyond his brother in any matter or in any business of common commerce 2. So covetous is man by nature of that which is his neighbours and so little willing to reverence the Lord in the measure of things worldly dispensed unto him Isa. 5. 8. that he is easily tempted to catch advantage of his Neighbour in the matter of commerce and to make up his own worldly estate by impairing the estate of others for Paul while he forbiddeth this evil supponeth that men are prone to fall in it That no man go beyond or defraud his brother 3. So enslaving an evil is covetousness that where it reigneth it maketh the covetous wretch imploy the utmost both of his power and skill to give it satisfaction for Paul while he forbids both going beyond or oppressing by power and defrauding by skill implyeth that both power and skill is usually imployed for carrying on this sin That no man go beyond or defraud 4. So subtle a fisher and hunter after souls is Satan Eph. 6. 11. as that he hath several sorts of tentations according to the several tempers and abilities of people to insnare them with in one and the same sin So that when any are effrontedly shameless in wickedness and love to be known and feared as such and have power to bear them out to act their villanies he then tempts them to oppress avowedly and with strong hand and for others who either have not power or good will to carry on their wickedness in open view those he tempts to defraud or deceive teaching them a way how to sin and not to be so easily discovered in their sin for Paul suppones there were tentations of both those kinds while he forbids to yield to either That no man go beyond or defraud his brother 5. Whatever pretexts a man may find out to render one sin and especially his own sin more plausible and excusable than another yet no pretext of that kind can licentiate a man to live in any sin neither the open oppressour who pretends plain even down dealing and kything himself to be whaâ— he is nor yet the subtle deceiver who pretends law and fair bargain are excuseable but both of them are alike guilty before the Lord for both are here condemned That no man go beyond or defraud his brother 6. As impunity from men doth harden the wicked much in sin So the Lord doth alwayes supply the
for if we believe c. 2. Concerning Christs death and resurrection see upon Gal. 1. 1. doct 7. Jesus dyed and rose again 3. Though thus saith the Lord and divine revelation be a ground sufficient in it self whereupon to build our faith Psal. 60. 6. yet such is our unwillingness to believe especially when the thing spoken hath no ground in reason Gen. 18. 12. and so great is Gods condescendence to help and supply our weakness Joh. 20. 27. that he alloweth us to make use of any other lawful mean whereby we may strengthen our faith and as it were reason our selves up to a belief of that which the Lord saith for so the Apostle doth teach us to take help from Christs death and resurrection to strengthen us in the faith of our own resurrection for if we believe saith he that Jesus dyed and rose again even so c. 4. Among other things helpful to bring us to the solid and fixed belief of revealed truths this is one to single out some truths which are more easily believed than others as having besides the authority of God interposing for the truth of them some further confirmation from humane testimony or their powerful effects upon our own hearts or the hearts of others that so being once fixed and setled in the faith of those we may be thereby in some measure helped to give credit unto all such other truths as have dependence upon them for Paul to bring them to the faith of their own resurrection would have them improving the faith they had of Christs death and resurrection which was confirmed by so many witnesses Luke 1. 1 2. and accompanied with wonderful effects upon the hearts of many If we believe that Jesus dyed and rose again even so c. 5. As those and those only shall attain to the blessed resurrection of the just unto life who continue in the faith whereby they are ingrafted in Christ to their last breath Heb. 3. 14. So the union betwixt Christ and believers once made by faith is so sure and firm that death it self cannot dissolve it yea not only their souls but also their bodies being separate from their souls and in a manner from it self when dissolved in the grave to ashes do yet remain united to Christ For those whom God shall raise to a glorious life are designed to be such as sleep in Jesus and living dying and dead are still in him yea and their bodies which only do properly sleep are also in him Even so also them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 6. The great prop for our faith to rest upon as to the truth of the resurrection is the power of God whereby he is able to do what he will Psal. 135. 6. and to make us of new out of our own ashes as once at the first he made all things of nothing Heb. 11. 3. for he leads them to Gods power for grounding of their confidence while he saith Them will God bring with him 7. Through vertue of that union betwixt believers and Christ it cometh to pass that whatever hath befallen Christ as he is the head of believers shall in Gods due time be verified in believers themselves that due proportion and distance being always kept which is betwixt head and members for he inferreth that we shall be raised because he arose because of our union with him them will God bring with him Ver. 15. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are aâ—leep Followeth a third head of the forementioned doctrine expressing the order wherein the dead shall arise which serveth also for a third ground of consolation against immoderate sorrow And first in this verse that he may conciliate authority to the following doctrine which transcends the reach of humane reason to know and understand without special revelation he doth after the manner of the Prophets Zech. 4. 6. premit a preface asserting that what he was to say was by or in the word of the Lord that is in his name and by vertue of express commission from him 2. He sets down the order wherein the dead were to rise first negatively to this purpose They which shall be then alive and remain on earth until Christs second coming as a small remnant of all that numerous company of believers who had formerly lived but ere then will be removed by death that small remnant I say shall not prevent or have the start of those who are asleep or dead to wit neither as to their meeting with Christ in the air nor their actual possession of glory spoken of v. 17. and Paul puts himself among those who shall be then alive while he speaketh in the first person we not as if he had been to continue until then but because he divides all believers at Christs coming in two ranks the living and the dead he doth as it were for an example of the purpose in hand place himself among the living as he then was when he wrote or that he may thereby teach believers in all times to make ready for that day as if it were to come in their own time because the peremptory time when it shall come is uncertain Matth. 24. 42. Doct. 1. So violent is the current of impetuous affections when once given way to Psal. 77. 3. so hardly are we convinced of the evil that is in the excess of any thing in it self lawful and in particular in the excess of immoderate grief Joh. 4. 4 9. that a word in the by will not allay it there must be word upon word and reason upon reason to demonstrate not only the sinfulness of it but also that there is no reason for it for Paul having given two reasons already to allay their immoderate sorrow he doth here give a third taken from the order wherein the dead shall rise for this we say unto you c. 2. As Ministers should bring forth nothing for truth but that to which they may premit Thus saith the Lord So whatever truths they deliver though never so far above the reach of natures light if once it be made known that the mouth of the Lord hath spoken them we ought without further enquiry to stop our ears unto all that carnal or corrupt reason can suggest against the truth of them for being to deliver some mysterious truths above the reach of natural understanding he premitteth this that they had divine authority for them and therefore should have credit for this we say unto you by the word of the Lord saith he 3. The Lord Christ shall never want a Church of believers upon earth which in despight of Satans malice to the contrary shall still have a being either more conspicuously Isa. 2. 2. or more hidly Rev. 12. 6. in some one place or other until Christs second coming for Paul sheweth there will be
the wit of man when not sanctified and better imployed as to dare to pry into the most profound of Gods secrets and more particularly to search out and determine the peremptory time longer or shorter of Christs second coming the knowledge whereof God only wise hath reserved to himself alone Matth. 24. 36. for Paul supponeth there would be such curious enquiries both in that and in the following ages and therefore laboureth to divert the Godly from them while he saith of the times and seasons ye have no need that I write 4. The servants of Christ are wisely to divert the Lords people from all such curious enquiries as being a result of Satans policy thereby to withdraw them from the knowledge and study of necessary and revealed truths 1 Tim. 6. 4. and more especially they ought to divert from those enquiries which are about the peremptory time of Christs second coming seeing the knowledge thereof not only is impossible but also would prove unprofitable and hurtful as tending to make the world in all ages preceding that wherein he should come more secure and careless for so doth Paul here suppress all such curious enquiries while he saith But of the times and seasons ye need not that I write unto you Ver. 2. For your selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night He gives a reason to prove the impossibility of knowing when Christ shall come whereof v. 1. Because they themselves know perfectly and exactly as having it plainly revealed by Christ himself while here on earth Matth. 24. 42. that the day of the Lord that is the day of Christs second coming so called because he shall then come as Lord to judge the quick and the dead 2 Tim. 4. 1. they knew I say that this day cometh in the present time that is hasteneth to come Rev. 22. 20. and shall come as a thief in the night that is suddainly and unexpectedly whether by night or by day as the thief who gives not warning before he come to steal See the same similitude used to shew that Christ shall come unawares and unexpectedly Matth. 24. 43 44. Rev. 3. 3. 2 Pet. 3. 10. whence he leaves unto them to gather that it is not possible to know the time and season of his coming Doct. 1. However in points of truth not clearly revealed and those which are not of such absolute necessity to salvation the Lords people may live in suspence without determining themselves peremptorily either to the one hand or the other Act. 1. 7. yet it is their duty and will be in some measure aimed at by them to have the exact knowledge of necessary truths and of such as are most clearly revealed for this truth about the unexpectedness of Christs second coming was necessary and clearly revealed and therefore they knew it perfectly or exactly 2. So ready are we to forget even those truths which we perfectly know under a violent fit of some tentation and when we need to remember them most Heb. 12. 5. that the Lords Ministers must not think it wholly unnecessary but sometimes profitable to inculate of new upon the Lords people and put them in remembrance of those truths which they already know for though they knew perfectly that the day of the Lord cometh as a thief in the night yet he doth here tell them of it and inculcates it v. 3. Doct. 3. It is but a groundless dream and anti-scriptural opinion maintained by some of the ancients and now by the Papists that the Antichrist mentioned in Scripture shall be an individual person who shall have his rise in the world precisely three years and an half before Christs second coming for if so then at that time the very month and day of Christs coming to Judgement should be exactly known the contrary whereof is here affirmed to wit that the day of the Lord cometh unexpectedly and as a thief in the night 4. So great should be our desire to profit in knowledge and sanctified practice and our skill and dexterity to improve all occurrences for that end should be such as to bring meat out of the eater and from the worst of sinful examples to learn somewhat tending either by way of resemblance or otherwayes to clear or confirm spiritual truths to the understanding and to enforce the practice of some spiritual duty upon the will and affections Luke 18. 1 c. for the Apostle takes occasion to clear this necessary truth and to inforce the duty of watchfulness following upon it v. 6. from the sinful practice of a thief who cometh unexpectedly in the night to his prey Ver. 3. For when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape He doth here first both clear what was meant by the former similitude to wit the unexpectedness of Christs second coming and also prove that it shall be unexpected from the terrible effects thereof to wit sudden and unexpected destruction and that both of soul and body as the word is usually taken see 2 Thes. 1. 9. 1 Tim. 6. 9. which destruction shall come or as the word signifieth at unawares surprize the wicked for of those only he meaneth as v. 4. doth clear who at that time shall be arrived at such an height of carnal security as to say that is not only secretly promise unto themselves in their heart Psal. 14. 1. but also openly declare if not by their mouth yet by their deeds for men do speak also by these Tit. 1. 16. that they have no fear of approaching judgement and do look for nothing but continued peace and safety that is full immunity as his using two words to one sense doth imply from any trouble of that sort in their sinful course Next he gives some properties of this destruction first in a similitude of the pains and travel of a woman with child which besides the unexpectedness and suddenty of it as to the hour and moment of time wherein it shall come whereof already holds forth the horrible pain and torment of it the pains of a woman in child-birth being most sharp exquisite and for the time almost not supportable Secondly in plain and proper terms he shews it shall be inevitable They shall not escape In the Original the negation is doubled which according to the property of that language denyeth most strongly as if he had said there shall be no imaginary possiblity to get it shifted so that their destruction shall be 1. sudden 2. painful and 3. inevitable Doct. 1. As sin continued in begeteth carnal security and draweth the sinner at length to misbelieve and despise whatever the word of the Lord doth threaten against him for it Deut. 29. 19. So an height of security and atheistical contempt of divine threatnings is an infallible mark of a wicked godless and unrenewed heart for so much doth he teach while he
a But ye brethren 3. A prudent Minister should labour so to guard against the terrour and dejection of the Godly by denounced threatnings as the contrary comfort be not proposed absolutely unto any but suspended upon such conditions as are required in the promise that so the party who would have comfort may not be deceived but put himself to a fair tryal by those marks if he be one of those to whom the intended comfort doth belong for Paul being to comfort the Godly against that terrible destruction threatned v. 3. he mentions the condition upon which they might escape it to wit if they were not in darkness which he affirmeth of them all or of a great many of them at least in the judgement of charity and thereby leaveth it unto themselves to search if they were so in reality But ye brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you 4. As the truly Godly and real believers in Jesus Christ are freed at least from the gross darkness of their natural ignorance and Godless profanity and as to be lying under either of those doth argue a man to be yet in his unrenewed state So the best security which a man can promise to himself against the terrour of sudden and unexpected stroaks doth lye in his saving knowledge of God in Christ and in the testimony of a good conscience arising from the shining light of an honest and holy life for Paul affirms it universally of all real believers they are not in darkness either of gross ignorance or Godless profanity and maketh that their ground of comfort to secure them that the day of the Lord should not overtake them as a thief Ver. 5. Ye are all the children of light and the children of the day we are not of the night nor of darkness He insists upon the former ground of comfort first by proving the truth of it that they were not in darkness because they were children of light that is according to an usual Hebraism Matth. 11. 19. they were not only indued with saving knowledge and holiness both which in Scripture go under the name of light Joh. 3. 19. Matth. 5. 16. but also were regenerate and born of God 1 Joh. 2. 29. who is that light inaccessible 1 Tim. 6. 16. by the Preaching of the Word Jam. 1. 18. which also hath the name of light Psal. 119. 105. And they are called children of the light and of the day to shew that the light of knowledge and holiness wherewith they were indued was not a dark glimmering light as of a candle or twilight but most clear as the light of the full and perfect day and this as it seems in opposition to that lesser measure of light which was enjoyed under the old Testament See upon Gal. 4. 3. doct 2. and v. 5. doct 3. Secondly by illustration of the proof while he removeth from them the contrary not only gross ignorance and profanity under the name of night but also a comparative measure of those under the name of darkness Doct. 1. As souls affrighted with the terrour of God are often most averse from receiving the comforts allowed to them of God So the Lords Ministers may not grow weary of taking pains to clear their doubts and work them up to the embracing of them for Paul supponing the Godly might possibly not have closed with the propounded comfort at the first hearing doth here insist upon it ye are all the children of light 2. As the doubts of discouraged and afflicted Christians are not so much about the reâ—lity of the comfort it self held forth by the word for a suitable cure to their disconsolate case as about their own interest in that comfort and right to lay hold upon it So a Minister in dealing with such would not so much or only insist in propounding and urging a suitable comfort as in clearing up unto them and pressing upon them to make sure work of their interest in it and right to lay hold upon it for Paul supponing that their doubt would lye about their not being in darkness which he held forth as the ground and evidence of their interest in the comfort doth insist mainly in the clearing of that while he saith ye are all the children of light c. 3. The Kingdoms of light and darkness of saving knowledge and dark ignorance of grace and profanity of Christ and Belial of God and the Devil are so much inconsistent that they cannot co-incide in one and the same person neither can any man be a subject of both Kingdoms at one and the same time for the Apostle maketh the denyal of the one to follow upon the affirmation of the other we are all the children of light saith he we are not of the night or of darkness 4. The Minister of Christ ought so to deliver suitable truths unto the Lords people for their incitement to duty for their comfort against discouragements for their reproof or conviction as that he takes his own allowed share and portion of those truths unto himself as if he were an ordinary hearer otherwise he cannot both save himself and them who hear him according to the promise 1 Tim. 4. 16. for Paul doth change the person in the close of the verse and takes a share of what he distributes to others unto himself both here and in the following verses we are not of the night and of darkness saith he Ver. 6. Therefore let us not sleep as do others but let us watch and be sober The Apostle having now put a close to his digression about the state of believers after death and Christs second coming which he entred upon chap. 4. v. 15. doth again return to press upon them some other branches of that sanctification required by God and spoken of chap. 4. v. 3 And first from what he hath presently said of the unexpectedness of Christs second coming he exhorteth to the exercise of two vertues tending much to keep them in a readiness for that day to wit watchfulness and sobriety And he presseth them first by forbidding them the contrary vices under the name of sleeping as others to wit as ungodly men children of darkness where by sleeping is not meant sleep properly taken and of the body binding the outward senses so that for the time they cease to do their office for this sleep being moderately taken is allowed by God and given by him as a blessing Psal. 127. 2. and some who it 's like will be found sleeping thus at the last day shall be saved Luke 17. 34. although excess even of bodily sleep be a sin Prov. 24. 33. and may be here in the second place look'd at either as a cause concomitant or effect of that spiritual sleep here forbidden which is no other than that deep sleep of carnal security whereby all the spiritual senses of a man who is taken with it are bound up Matth. 13. 15. so that he regards not his duty Matth.
them that this day of general judgement would come that from the faith of it they might draw their comfort which is a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God saith he 2. The most grown and praise-worthy faith and patience are not so perfect but they are in hazard to be shaken and brangled by continued trouble and tryal and stand in need to be supported by God and underpropped by such consolations as the Lord hath stored up in his word that they faint not for notwithstanding he hath presently shewn how much he had gloried in their faith and patience yet he seeth it necessary for their further support and comfort to shew them that their patient suffering was a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God 3. As that excellent truth concerning the day of Gods most righteous judgement doth hardly and with great difficulty get credit some being wholly unwilling 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. and others not able to believe it as they gladly would Mark 9. 24. So there is no truth or article of our faith whereof more convincing proofs and infallible demonstrations may be had than of this for not only hath the spirit of God frequently and plainly asserted it Joh. 5. 28 29. but also every particular injury which the Lords people do suffer from men and is not righted in this life is an infallible argument and cogent proof that this day shall most undoubtedly come So that there are infinite proofs because there are infinite wrongs of that sort which saith he is a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God 4. The comforts of the Lords people under their saddest sufferings from men are near at hand if their eyes were not sometimes shut that they cannot see them yea so nigh that every cross of that kind hath an excellent cordial of sweetest comfort in its bosome and the greater their cross is the sweeter is the comfort which is brought along with it and in it for he affirmeth that their unjust sufferings and their patience under them are so many tokens of the righteous judgement of God 5. The day of general judgement and the remembrance of it can prove comfortable only to such as may upon solid grounds expect a favourable sentence on that day from Christ the Judge for the comfort propounded doth not lye wholly in this that the righteous judgement of God shall come but also that the event of it shall be good as to them even that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God saith he 6. As none shall enjoy the Kingdom of Heaven but those whom God maketh fit and meet for it though not by making them to merit Heaven for it is the gift of God Rom. 6. 23. yet by working in them all those gracious qualifications which are required in those upon whom he hath bound himself by gracious covenant and promise to bestow eternal happiness Col. 1. 12. with 13. 14. So the main business of the day of Gods righteous judgement at least that piece of it wherein the comfort of believers doth chiefly lye shall be in the Lords judicial accepting and publick declaring that the persecuted Godly whom wicked men did judge the scum and off-scouring of the world 1 Cor. 4. 13. are worthy fit and meet to reign with him for ever Which gracious acceptation of his though it be really past Eph. 1. 6. and intimated to their own consciences here on earth 1 Joh. 3. 19. yet the publick manifestation of it in the view of Angels devils and reprobates is reserved until that day and shall be then performed for he sheweth that the end and event of the righteous judgement of God is that they may be counted judicially accepted and declared worthy and meet for the Kingdom of God Now he accounteth and declareth none meet for it but those who are made meet 7. As the Kingdom of Heaven and glory is worthy to be suffered for and will be so esteemed of by all them who shall one day be counted worthy of it and meet for it So such ill will hath Satan that any should enjoy that Kingdom which he himself hath irrecoverably lost 2 Pet. 2. 4. and such is the hatred of wicked men though not to Heaven it self yet to the way of faith and obedience which leadeth to it that there is none who entreth that way who may not expect the utmost of Satans and wicked mens malice to pursue them in it and that mainly because they walk in that way whatever be those other pretexts which their persecutors may hold out 2 Tim. 2. 9. For he affirms they did suffer for the Kingdom of God and makes that an evidence that they shall be accounted meet for it for which ye also suffer saith he Ver. 6. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you 7. And to you who are troubled rest with us He doth here prove that their patient suffering of injuries from men was an infallible proof of the righteous judgement of God and that the event thereof shall be such to Christian sufferers as he hath presently affirmed and that because it is a righteous thing with God or a thing that his most righteous nature did oblige him to even to recompence and repay trouble unto all such as did unjustly persecute and trouble them for righteousness sake v. 6. and to recompence and bestow rest from all trouble and labour to those who are put to trouble and hardship by men for love to their duty and that with us to wit with the Apostles and others whereby he doth not only commend this excellent rest unto them as being a rest with such but doth also shew them that he did not now speak of a thing uncertain but what he had the faith of as to his own particular And whereas he saith that Gods righteous nature doth no less bind him to this than to the former The meaning is not as if this blessed rest had been merited by them as trouble and torment was by their persecutors Rom. 6. 23. but because Christ had merited this rest for them Rom. 3. 26. and God of free grace had obliged himself to bestow this rest upon them Matth. 5. 11 12. and therefore it is a righteous thing with God to recompence it to them as righteousness is taken elsewhere for his faithfulness in keeping promise see Psal. 143. 1. 1 John 1. 9. From all which he doth leave it unto them to gather that seeing this recompence was not given now but all things were almost contrary there could be no surer demonstration of a day coming wherein the Lord in righteousness shall give it to the full which he doth here intend to prove Doct. 1. Whatever is righteous with God and judged so by him shall undoubtedly come to pass and therefore though for the time truth may fall in the streets and equity cannot enter Isa. 59. 14. yet either now or afterwards judgement
in Christ the Judge as theirs and the hope of their being gathered together among the rest of the elect unto him then while he saith by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto him he calleth Christ our Lord and the gathering our gathering Ver. 2. That ye be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as that the day of Christ is at hand The Apostle in this verse doth first set forth in general that from which he doth disswade them to wit 1. That they would not be soon shaken or suffer themselves to be tossed to and fro like the waves of the Sea as the word signifieth by the winds of false doctrine in or from their mind that is from their received opinion and judgement concerning the truth in hand as the word is rendred 1 Cor. 2. 16. and 11. 10. or from the right use of their wit and reason the loss of which he doth hereby insinuate would be the sad fruit of embracing the present errour and 2. That they would not be troubled or suffer themselves to be perplexed vexed and affrighted with the dreadful representation of approaching judgement by which it is like the promoters of this errour did uncessantly alarm and affright them for the word is a metaphor taken from souldiers affrighted with a sudden and dreadful alarm Next he condescends upon a threefold deceit which the maintainers of this errour did make use of to seduce and unsettle them which he exhorts them to vilipend as being of no weight first they pretended to the spirit whereby as it is contradistinguished to the other two must be meant some immediate revelations which they did falsly give out themselves to have had from the spirit of God Micah 2. 11. next to some unwritten word which as it seemeth they did falsly alledge had been spoken by Paul or some other Apostle to that purpose 3. To some Epistle written by Paul himself and this either the former written to this same Church which it seemeth they did wrest to countenance the present errour as if he had taught 1 Thes. 4. 15. that Christ would come to judgement in that present age or some other Epistle forged by them and fathered upon the Apostle which hath not been unusual even then as appears from his great care to subscribe every Epistle with his own hand for preventing such impostures chap. 3. 17. Lastly he expresseth the particular errour from embracing whereof he doth so affectionately and seriously disswade them to wit that the day of Christ or of Christs second coming was at hand The word in the Original doth differ from that which is 1 Pet. 4. 7. and expresseth so much as if the day of judgement had been instantly to fall out in that very age which doubtless was the opinion vented by those seducers and refuted here by Paul But the word used by Peter expresseth only that it was drawing near and in what sense he would be understood is explained by himself 2 Pet. 3. 8 9. to wit in respect of God with whom one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day However Peter doth not condescend upon any peremptory time neither day year nor the present age as those seducers did Doct. 1. The spirit of errour is usually most prevalent and taking with people when it is first hatched and publickly vented The newness of the thing the fair pretexts wherewith it is coloured and peoples inadvertence to what it tendeth make many without deliberation engage in it and being once engaged to stand to it and therefore if the first assault of errour were once withstood and time and leisure taken to advise upon it before we did indeliberately and suddenly close with it there should not be so much hazard at least of being carryed away with it for he beseecheth them that they be not soon shaken not as if he did allow them to be shaken provided it were not soon but because if they did endure the first brunt and were not soon shaken they would readily not be shaken at all 2. As a sudden rash and unadvised engaging in the way of errour is usually accompanied with a spiritual phrensie and madness and transporteth men beyond the bounds of right reason both in the defence and propagation of their errour however they may be abundantly rational in their other actings 2 Cor. 9. 2. with 11. 20. So an unsound and unsetled judgement in the point of truth is usually accompanied with errour and disturbance of the conscience through fears and doubts And it is the devilish method of Satans instruments in seducing the Lords people once to unsettle their minds and preplex their consciences thus that they may hereby make them more plyable to embrace their erroneous doctrine if so it but seem to promise any ease of mind and peace for while he disswades them from errour he forbids them to be soon shaken in mind or troubled the latter as a consequence of the former and both of them intended by their seducers as tending to make them more plyable to their design 3. The fore-mentioned dreadful concomitants of errour to wit infatuation of mind perplexedness of heart and affections the rack and horrour of conscience should scare the Lords people from medling with and make them stand aloof from any thing which tendeth towards it for the general part of the disswasive hath an implicit reason to inforce their standing aback from the particular errour even because thereby they would be shaken in mind and troubled 4. As there is not any errour vented the maintainers whereof will not have somewhat to say in its defence So the taking force of all they say for that end consisteth not in the solidity and truth of what they affirm but in multitude of words variety of seeming reasons a fair flourish of specious pretexts and in impudent bold and strong assertions thereby holding up their reputation among their devoted followers Act. 8. 9 10. and ensnaring the simple who hardly can put a difference betwixt pretext and reality confident assertions and solid proofs Rom. 16 18. for the maintainers of this errour did boldly alledge no fewer than three heads of most specious reasons none whereof did prove the truth of their opinion and therefore he forbids them to be shaken or troubled with any of them neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us 5. Perverse and obstinate seducers do often prove in end blasphemous and very Atheists in so far as against the light of conscience to dare to father their groundless untruths upon an immediate revelation from the God of truth for those seducers pretended to immediate revelations from the spirit to confirm their errour wherein they could not but know themselves to be lyars Neither by spirit saith he 6. As heretical spirits do usually prove most malapert and impudent in opposing themselves to most
in the Church maketh way for an higher It begins at lâ—ssâ—r truths and from those it advanceth further Satan doth so dâ—sign it that he may gain his intent against truth by pâ—â—ce-meale which he cannot attain by whole sale And the Lord himself doth so order it that he may punish begun apostasie by raining snares in his holy justice upon the guilty whereby they cannot but backslide more See v. 11. for he foretelleth that there shall be first a falling away and then the man of sin shall be revealed or discover himself in his own colours and be generally received and so the apostasie should heighten 6. The nature of man now fallen is a very sink of sin and being given over of God and tempted by Satan is ready to fall in any sin yea to many sins though never so gross and abominable and therefore let him that stands take heed lest he fall for the Antichrist is a man of sin a man by nature and yet a sink of all sin a son of perdition an opposer of God and Christ c. 7. As where sin goeth before perdition and destruction do follow after So the more eminent men are in their personal transgressions and the more active in driving on others to sin with them they may expect the more inevitable and dreadful destruction from the Lord as their reward for if Antichrist be a man of sin a notorious sinner himself an author of sin to others first he shall be a son of perdition next 8. Though they who are active in driving others on to sin shall smart most for it as said is yet those who are seduced and drawn over by them shall not escape for as he is the man of sin for his causing others to sin so a son of perdition for bringing spiritual perdition upon them also Ver. 4. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God The Apostle doth describe the Antichrist thirdly from two of his properties first he opposeth himself or as it is in the original he is a prime opposite or adversary to wit unto Christ for therefore is he called Antichrist 1 Joh. 2. 18. now every heretick is in so far at least an adversary and opposite to Christ but he in a special manner for his opposition was 1. To be most potent as having a fixed orderly Kingdom whereof he is head set up in opposition to Christ 2. More universal as setting himself to undermine every Christian truth almost 3. He was to oppose Christ especially in those truths relating to Christs offices to which he was anointed as the name Christ and Antichrist in the greek imply Only know that what is spoken here of Antichrists opposition to Christ and afterwards of his shewing himself that he is God must not be understood as if he would profess so much in words which the Papists affirm for as followeth immediately he shall sit in the Temple of God and Antichristianism is called a mysterie v. 7. besides he shall be a false Prophet Rev. 16. 13. and have the horns of the Lamb Rev. 13. 11. and consequently a famous hypocrite and dissembler as some of the Papists are forced to confess yea and shall be adored by the world of professed Christians Rev. 12. 13. which is not imaginable if he were a professed enemy to Christ and an avowed Atheist And therefore his opposition to Christ and God here spoken of is real and in deeds but under a mask and pretence of friendship The Antichrists second property is his intolerable pride and arrogance first in relation to men and the chief of men He should exceedingly and above measure exalt himself as the word is rendred 2 Cor. 12. 7. and this above all that is called God I conceive he meaneth not the true God for he is spoken of after but earthly Magistrates who are called Gods Psal. 82. 1. above whom he should exalt himself by usurping power over them to enthrone and dethrone them at pleasure Rev. 17. 12 13. and this not only inferiour Magistrates and Kings over particular Kingdoms but Emperours and mighty Monarchs over many realms expressed here in these words or that which is worshipped The word in the Original doth signifie that which is holden in highest degree of reverence whether religious or civil and with a little variation was an usual stile given to the Roman Emperours which did difference them most from other Magistrates Act. 25. 21 25. Next his arrogance is set forth in relation to the true God which is brought in as an higher step following upon the former and joyntly herewith he gives a fourth branch of his description from the greatness of his power and the place where he shall exercise it First he shall sit the Apostle doth not mean local or corporal sitting but his supream and setled power rule and government set forth oft by sitting Psal. 9. 4. Ezek. 28. 2. Next the place wherein he shall sit or rule is the temple of God not the Temple at Jerusalem as some Papists affirm though others of them are forced to acknowledge the truth for that Temple is ruined many years since Matth. 24. 1 2. the re-edifying whereof ever since when several times attempted as Histories shew hath been signally impeded from Heaven And though it should be built again by Antichrist to be worshipped therein yet it could not be called the Temple of God but rather of the Devil and therefore hereby must be meant the Church of God not so much the material house of stones and timber where the Church doth meet as the Christian Church of visible professours in which the Antichrist shall set himself as head and chief and which he shall tyrannically oppress See the Temple of God taken in this sense 1 Cor. 3. 16. 6. 16. And here as I formerly said the Apostle intermixeth the second branch of the Antichrists arrogance to wit in relation to God whereby 1. He shall manage his rule and government in the Church as God pretending to have no less than divine authority even the same with God and Christ Rev. 13 11 he shall shew himself that he is God not professing so much in words as is already proved but as the Greek word signifieth shewing or attempting to shew by his actions that he is no less to be esteemed of than God while he either attributes unto himself or suffers others to ascribe unto him and discharge towards him such things as belong only to God as divine titles worship and properties Rev. 13. 4. Doct. 1. The spirit of God doth not judge of men so much by what they say as by what they do not by fair pretences but by the reality of their practises and willeth us to judge accordingly for though the Antichrist sit in the Temple of God pretending he doth all things for Christ and at his command yet because
far as they stand not much upon the nature and kind of the means they use whether they be right or wrong if so they can serve their present design for Antichrist doth use all deceiveableness of unrighteousness 3. So tender is God of his peoples comfort that for the most part those Scriptures which terrifie most are so contrived as to carry with them an antidote of comfort against hopeless discouragement in their bosom for this terrifying Scripture which speaks of Antichrists future success hath in it a comfort to wit that his power and success is limited only to reprobates even them that perish 4. Though even the Godly elect may be seduced to errour for a time Phil. 3. 15. yet they cannot arrive at such an height of malicious blindness as against all means of their reclaiming to remain obstinate in the bulk and most fundamental of Antichristian errours and to persist in their obstinacy unto death for it is here foretold he should so prevail only in those who perish 5. When foulest and most dangerous errours are carryed on with fair pretexts subtle insinuations pithy perswasions they will not want a multitude of blind followers for Antichristian untruths being carryed on by all deceiveableness are received generally by those who perish 6. Though the Lord hath no regard to the future sin of reprobates as the cause of their reprobation Rom. 9. 11 12. yet he actually condemneth none of those no not the Antichrists most active followers whose sin is not the cause of their condemnation and therefore none shall have reason to complain that they do perish unjustly and without a cause for the cause why they perish is here expressed because they received not the love of the truth 7. Among all the sins of a people professing Christ which deserve condemnation and for which reprobates shall actually be condemned the contempt of the Gospel is the first and chief It is a sin against the remedy of sin and which provoketh the Lord in his holy justice to give up the person guilty to the power and slavery of several other sins so that uncleannesses murders perjuries c. are but streams flowing from this woful fountain for he mentioneth none of their other sins as the cause of their destruction but this alone because they received not the love of the truth saith he 8. If even the least report of Gospel truths and of Christ be not received and made welcome it is a sin sufficient to provoke the Lord to plague the person guilty in such a manner as he shall never recover but undoubtedly perish and therefore how much more when Christ and the Gospel is fully and plainly taught and yet the gracious offers of mercy therein contained are abused and slighted for it is but a small and passing report of truth and Christ which many of Antichrists followers do hear being compared with what we now enjoy and yet they perish because they received not the truth in love 9. It is not sufficient to receive the truth because the politick Laws of the Land enjoyn so much or upon any other account but from love to it otherwise Satan Antichrist or some suitable tentation from any other art will easily prevail to make him who hath so received it slip from it for they perish and are given over to Antichrists delusions as appears from v. 11. because they received not the love of the truth 10. There is no middle betwixt Heaven and Hell salvation and condemnation If a man attain not the former he cannot by any means escape the latter and if he do not walk in the way to Heaven he doth ipso facto and without any further poste swiftly forward to hell and condemnation for he proves they could not but perish and be condemned because they refused to walk in the way wherein they might be saved even because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved Ver. 11. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lye He doth here further describe the vâ—ssals of Antichrists Kingdom thirdly from an higher degree of their sin They would not only reject truth but also believe a lye that is give a firm assent without any contrary doubt to grossest untruths and errours as to the very truths of God Which their sin is set forth from a necessary antecedent of it the Lord his sending them strong delusion for this cause to wit for their not receiving the love of the truth spoken of v. 10. where by strong delusion or as the word doth signifie efficacy of errour and seduction is not meant errour it self but the prevalency and pith of errour so that when tentations to errour should be propounded by Satan and his emissaries they would undoubtedly prevail and this efficacy of errour is attributed to Gods sending not as if the Lord did incite or perswade men to believe errours for he forbids and condemns them 2 Pet. 3. 17. but because he not only giveth loose reins unto Satan to use his power of seduction against them 1 King 22. 22. but also raineth snares upon them and actively bringeth about many things in his providence which being in themselves good are yet stumbled on by them in their corruption so as they are thereby furthered to close with the tentation Job 21. 7 c. with 14. withholds his grace whereby they might resist tentations 2 Chron. 32. 31. yea and actually in his judgement withdraws and after a sort extinguisheth that strength and light which he had formerly given and they abused Matth. 25. 29. so that they cannot but succumb when they are tempted Doct. 1. It is not inconsistent with the Lords holiness but most agreeable to his unspotted justice to punish sin with sin by giving the sinner up in the way mentioned in the exposition to the slavery and tyranny of that sin wherein he so much delights for he saith for this cause to wit for their former sin God shall send them strong delusion 2. As one degree of sin maketh way for an higher So there cannot be a more terrible judgement inflicted upon any for former sin than that he be given up of God to the power of it in time to come a judgement so much the more dreadful as the party smitten by it is not sensible of it Exod. 7. 22 23. for this is the terrible judgement here denounced for this â— cause God shall send them strong delusion 3. That an errour when it is vented becometh mightily prevalent in making many to close with it and embrace it proceedeth not from the power of Satans tentations only who hath not of himself an irresistible influence upon the minds of men Job 1. 12. with 22. but also and mainly from mens own corruption and blindness and the Lords judicial up-giving of them to it formerly mentioned which holdeth by parity of reason in Satans tentations to any other sin for the efficacy of errour
is here spoken of as a judgement sent by God God shall send them strong delusion 4. Where Gospel truths are not received in love and made use of as they ought absurd and monstrous errours will be ere long received and believed for truths for because they received not the love of the truth they are given up of God to believe a lye 5. When the Lord in his holy justice giveth loose reins unto Satan to tempt a sinner and withdraweth from him his restraining grace there is no sin so irrational or absurd to which the man so plagued of God will not run if it were even to receive most gross absurdities for divine truths and to believe them with a kind of firm assent beyond all doubt or suspicion for their believing lyes is here foretold as the consequence of Gods sending them strong delusion even that they should believe a lye Ver. 12. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness He describeth the Antichrists followers fourthly from that judgement which followeth upon their sin and is intended to be brought about by God as the end of his sending them strong delusion for the context shewing the result of this purpose from the former implyeth so much and the judgement is they shall all be damned to wit all guilty in the way mentioned upon v. 10. of the former sins which for further clearing of Gods justice he doth here again repeat 1. That which is spoken of v. 10. their not believing the truth after they had heard it to wit the truth of the Gospel see the Gospel so called and for what reasons upon Eph. 1. 13. doct 4. Next that which is expressed v. 11. here called their taking pleasure in unrighteousness that is false and unrighteous doctrine see upon v. 10. to which they did not only give their assent and approbation but also did find much inward satisfaction and had an inexpressible delight and pleasure in it as the word signifieth and in all the woful consequences of unrighteousness both to God and man to which it tended and therefore they should be without excuse and dying impenitent be damned without remedy Doct. 1. Though some sins and errours be a necessary result of Gods judicial giving up a man to the power of tentation and delusion as said is yet they cease not to be sin obliging the guilty party to undergo eternal wrath no less than any other sin and that because their former sins have justly procured that they should be so given up of God and though God in his justice doth punish sin with sin yet the sinner doth alwayes delight in sin as being the matter of his voluntary choice for he shews they shall be damned for believing a lye though the Lord being provoked as said is by their former sins had sent them strong delusion and that because they took pleasure in unrighteousness That they all might be damned saith he 2. It is a manifest untruth that every man shall be saved in his own Religion and that it is no hazard for a man to be of any Religion if so he follow his conscience believing what he thinks to be truth and walk according to the principles of that Religion which he professeth and believeth to be of God for here it is foretold that the devout followers of Antichristian lies though they did believe them to be truths yet should be damned That they all might be damned 3. Multitudes of sinners concurring in one and the same guilt doth neither lessen the guilt nor make God either through fear abate or from pitty moderate the deserved punishment for here it is foretold that they shall all be damned 4. That a man do savingly believe the Gospel it is not sufficient that he assent to the truth of it in his judgement but he must also embrace and receive the good things offered by it in his will and affections and that from love to it for that which he called the receiving of truth in love v. 10. he calleth believing the truth here Who believed not the truth 5. As no men no not the worst of men become extreamly evil at first but by certain steps ascend toward that height of sin at which they do at last arrive So when a man doth not only commit sin but takes pleasure in it maketh his boast of it it speaks him at the very height of sin and near a dreadful downfal in the pit of condemnation if Gods mercy by giving speedy repentance prevent it not for several steps are here implyed their not receiving truth their believing untruth and the height of all and nearest cause of their being damned is their taking pleasure in unrighteousness 6. A man deluded with errour may for a time find much seeming peace of conscience quietness of spirit soul-satisfaction and delight flowing from those erroneous doctrines which he believeth for truth and the more of this kind a man doth find in the way of errour he is the more deluded and his guilt the greater for their taking pleasure in unrighteousness or in unrighteous doctrine is spoken of as the utmost effect of that strong delusion sent them v. 11. and the highest step of their sin A necessary Appendix containing the application of this Prophecy and discovering who this Antichrist is HAving thus explained this dark Prophesie and made such doctrinal application of it as every verse apart did offer it now remaineth that for the more full understanding of the present Scripture a discovery be made who is this man of sin that great Antichrist whom the spirit of God doth here so fully describe which the event time and experience the surest commentaries for understanding dark prophesies have now made so fully clear that those who have eyes may see the truth of that assertion which hath been maintained almost in every age and now by all the Reformed Divines Whereby it is affirmed That the Pope of Rome ever since he usurped that fulness of power in all causes both humane and Divine which he hath now for a long time enjoyed hath been and yet is that man of sin that Child of perdition the very Antichrist here described And that because all the characters of this man of sin and every passage of this prophesie is verified in the Pope as shall be made appear by taking a review of every verse And first The third verse is verified in him for first the Church of Rome whereof the Pope is head hath made defection from the doctrine of faith and purity of worship held forth in the Gospel as appears from all the controverted points betwixt us and them which apostasie did spread it self over the face of the whole visible Church even as the apostasie here foretold to be under the Antichrist except there come a falling away 2. The Pope did not pretend to such power over the Church of Christ as he now exerciseth in Pauls time Their own Historians
do not keep intimate and familiar fellowship with him as we might kyth our affection to others who are not under that sentence 1 Thes. 5. 26. and much less do flatter him in his sin and obstinacy but when we do admonish him of his sin and hazard and make him thereby know we love him and in the mean time deny him any other testimony of our affection except what civil or natural bonds do bind us to discharge towards him for Paul having forbidden to converse familiarly with him will have them kyth their brotherly love towards him only by admonishing him but admonish him as a brother Ver. 16. Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace alwayes by all means The Lord be with you all In the second part of the Chapter he concludeth the Epistle which he doth first in this verse by a prayer to God consisting of two petitions first because the censuring of the contumacious presently enjoyned might occasion some troubling of the Churches peace he prayeth that the Lord of peace himself who alone createth and entertaineth peace in his Churches borders Psal. 147. 14. might give them peace that is both a peaceable frame of spirit desireous of peace Job 3. 15. and the blessing of peace or harmonious walking together in Christian society Psal. 29. 11. and this alwayes that is a lasting solid and continuing peace and by all means to wit a peace whereof though God be the only Author yet they were to seek after it by all means lawful and the utmost of their â—ervent endeavours for by praying for it by all means he doth indirectly point at their duty to seek after it by all means Secondly He prayeth that in order to this and to other ends God might be with them all by his gracious presence and sweet influences of his spirit for assisting them with strength direction and courage to go on in the way of their duty against all opposition Rom. 8. 31. Doct. 1. A Minister who would have his preaching blessed with success among a people must be much in prayer to God for his gracious presence and powerful concurrence He must begin with prayer he must end with prayer yea and all along his work he must now and then dart up a fervent desire to God for that end for Paul began this Epistle with prayer chap. 1. 2. he prayed several times in his passing through it chap. 1. 11. and 2. 16. and 3. 5. and now he doth conclude it with prayer Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace alwayes 2. We should labour to give such stiles to God in prayer as are most suitable to our present suit and may furnish us with a ground of confidence that we shall be heard in what we ask for while Paul suiteth for peace from God be calleth him the Lord of peace 3. As there are ofttimes ground of fear lest alienation of minds schismes rents and heart-burnings may possibly follow within a Church upon their impartial exercise of discipline and inflicting of the highest censure So the Lords servants ought not to surcease upon the meer possibility or appearance of such hazard but are to do their duty and deal with God the more earnestly for preventing any feared inconvenience of that kind for Paul projecting that the exercise of discipline might breed some disturbance to the Churches peace doth not bid them desist but prayeâ—h now the Lord of peace himself give you peace alwayes 4. As peace and harmony among Christian societies is with great difficulty attained and preserved and is no less than a singular work of God considering our own averseness from it Rom. 3. 17. and Satans enmity to it Joh. 8. 44. So that peace only is to be regarded whereof the Lord is the bestower and approver a peace that is not prejudicial to truth and holiness Heb. 12. 14. but only curbeth and restraineth our sinful and turbulent humours 2 Cor. 12. 20. for he prayeth for such a peace while he seeketh peace from God and sheweth it cannot be had but from him while he saith the Lord of peace himself give you peace 5. Though peace among Christians be a special work of God see doct 4. and therefore to be sought from him yet our prayers of that kind should be seconded by our own serious endeavours and all lawful means assayed for that end so as that we not only carefully eschew whatever may on our part give cause of renting 1 Cor. 8. 13. but also be not easily provoked when cause of renting is given by others 1 Cor. 13. 5. and that when a rent is made we spare no pains nor stand upon any thing which is properly our own for having it removed Gen. 13. 8 9. and do not weary to follow after peace when it seemeth to fly from us Heb. 12. 14. and all our endeavours have but small appearance of present success 2 Cor. 12. 15. for while he seeketh peace from God by all means he doth indirectly incite them to seek after it by all means 6. The peace and concord which should be sought after among Christians is not an outside agreement only Psal. 55. 21. nor a meer cessation from debate and strife for a time until either party see an offered advantage but a lasting solid and continuing peace and therefore an union in hearts â—nd affections Phil. 2. 2. which being once united are not easily rent asunder 1 Sam. 18. 1. with 19. 2. an union in truth not in errour Isa. 8. 12. so that neither party may have reason to repent their entering it And an union not in a carnal but a spiritual interest even that they may strive together for the faith of the Gospel Phil. 1. 27. for he prayeth the Lord to give them peace alwayes that is a lasting solid peace 7. As the Lords gracious presence with his people in any plentiful measure is annexed to their peaceable frame of spirit and serious endeavours after peace and concord among themselves and as their implacable renting humours do grieve the Lords spirit and provoke him to withdraw from them So sound peace and concord among societies doth much depend upon the Lords gracious presence which where it is doth not a little quiet and put to silence our renting and dividing humours Neither can there be any sound or solid peace but among the people with whom God is for the grant of those two petitions seem here presented as mutually depending upon one another The Lord give you peace alwayes and the Lord be with you all Ver. 17. The salutation of Paul with mine own hand which is the token in every Epistle so I write Before he conclude with his usual farewel wish v. 18. he doth here premit a Preface to it wherein having called the following wish his salutation that is an expression and testimony of his good will and affection he shews he did write it with his own hand and that it was his use so to do at the close
For therefore is the word falling away or apostasie set down indefinitely and without any restriction The second thing which was to fall our antecedently to that day is the revealing of the man of sin the great head and patron of this apostasie whom all accord to be that great Antichrist spoken of 1 Joh. 2. 18. and 4. 3. and the beast mentioned Rev. 13. 11 c. and the epithetes given him here declare so much though he be not expresly named Concerning whom the Apostle doth first foretel that he shall be revealed and made known though not so as that none should have any doubt concerning him for then how were it possible that all the world should wonder after the beast Rev. 13. 3. neither were such wisdom requisite to find him out and know him as is required Rev. 13. 18. yet so as they to whom the Lord hath given eyes to see shall evidently discern him Which revealing and making of him known was to be effectuated partly by the preaching of the Gospel which should discover him see v. 8. but chiefly by his coming to the height of his power and his exercising of open tyranny over the Church of God Next that the Lords people might the better know him when he should discover himself the spirit of God doth here describe him first from his nature he shall be a man and not a Devil as some did falsly imagine Now that he is called a man in the singular number with the article prefixed in the Original doth not inferr that he should be one single man and individual person without succession as the Papists imagine to defend their Pope from being the Antichrist here described but all in vain For 1. The same word with the article prefixed doth not alwayes point at one individual person but sometimes must be extended to many men or to any man indefinitely as Joh. 2. 25. 2 Tim. 3. 17. Secondly That the Antichrist cannot be only one individual person will be clear if we consider the many great things which Scripture foretelleth shall be effectuated by him whereof there is one here to wit the carrying on of that woful work of an universal apostasie from Christ and truth through the whole Christian world presently spoken of unto an height and head which surely behoved to be a work of more ages than one otherwise the argument here used by Paul would have been but of small force to prove that the day of judgement should not fall out in the present age because this falling away and apostasie behoved to be first It would have been I say of no force if that apostasie could have been brought about in the space of one age Besides the spirit of Antichrist was already working hidly and in a Mysterie in Pauls time see upon v. 7. and in Johns time 1 Joh. 4. 3. and was to continue until the time of Christs second coming see upon v. 8. and consequently he cannot be one only individual person But therefore thirdly By man or that man here is meant a series and constant succession of men of whom one was to succeed another in their grandeur power and wickedness against Christ and his Church as if they were all but one man acted by one and the same spirit even as the word High Priest in the singular number is taken Heb. 9. 7 25. and as Daniel chap. 7. under every one of the four beasts doth comprize a number of Kings succeeeding one another in the Babylonian Persian and Grecian Monarchies yea and as shall appear upon v. 7. the continued series and succession of Roman Emperours is spoken of as of one man withholding the Antichrist from coming to the height of his power and greatness Secondly the Antichrist in this verse is described from two of his titles first he shall be a man of sin It is an Hebraism implying that he shall be a notorious sinner himself Rev. 13. 5 6. and an Author of sin to others Rev. 13. 12 14. Like Jeroboam who caused Israel to sin 2 King 11. 10. Next a son of perdition that is one devoted to destruction Rev. 17. 8. as Judas was who therefore hath the same title Joh. 17. 12. and one who should destroy others and that both spiritually in their souls Rev. 17. 2. and corporally in their bodies Rev. 17. 6. for which cause he is called Apollyon or a destroyer Rev. 9. 11. Hence Learn first as love to ease and desire of freedom from trouble in the Lords people do make them antedate promised deliveries and dream of a triumph before they have entred the battel So the Lord in Scripture doth frequently sâ—t himself to dispossess his people of this lazy dangerous humour by shewing that they must first prepare for a long lasting battel before they can expect a compleat victory and full triumph for while these Thessalonians did dream of nothing but of a present delivery from all their trouble by Christs second coming the spirit of God doth here forewarn them to prepare for a long continuing battel with Antichrist and his followers for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first saith he 2. Not only particular Churches and persons but even the Catholick Church visible the elect only being excepted Matth. 24. 24. may fall away from the purity of the Gospel to dangerous and soul-destroying errours and therefore the Church of Rome can have no ground to plead for the contrary priviledge seeing not only her future apostasie is more than intimate Rom. 11. 20. but also it is here foretold that the Antichristian apostasie shall as a deluge overflow the whole visible Church yea and Rev. 17. 9. that Antichrist shall erect his throne in the City of Rome it self for saith he except there come a falling away first to wit a general apostasie See the Exposition 3. Not only are the saddest events which can befall the Church foreseen by God and powerfully overruled by him for his own glory and the good of his elect Rom. 8. 28. but he hath also in mercy fore-acquainted his Church with them that when they come to pass none should need to stumble at them for therefore it is that the Lord doth here forewarn his Church of this general apostasie except there come a falling away first 4. Even Satans Kingdom and his many instruments under him are most united in their woful work and in uniform means and wayes for carrying on their work of bearing down the Kingdom of Jesus Christ And therefore that union boasted of so much by Papists can be no infallible mark that they are the true Church for though Antichristianism shall be a Kingdom made up of divers members wherein shall be many successive heads in several ages see the exposition yet because of their unity and uniformity in driving on one and the same design they are all called by the name of one man and that man of sin be revealed 5. One step of apostasie from truth